I was on a website (which i forgot) that said that the Savoyard burgonet originated in Germany. Then i clicked on the picture and it says perhaps germany which means they are not sure. My question is where did the Savoyard originate and who used it. Here are the users i so far know but are there others....... Italy.

I looked that up and its located on the border line between France and Italy. So it may have spread to other countries but i dont know what those countries would be. Other than France and Italy i dont know.

Connor,
Have you checked out our Spotlight Article on the burgonet? Regarding the Savoyard style it says:

Quote:

One late form of closed burgonet was common among 17th century heavy cavalry, and merits special mention because its form is so striking. This grim-looking, stylistically spare form, with cutouts for eyes, nose and mouth, so resembled a human skull that Germans and Austrians referred to it as a todenkopf (death's head) helmet. It is also known by the less dramatic names of Savoyard or Savoy helmet.

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No i didnt read that but i have seen the spotlight article about the Burgonet. The only thing is that the Totenkopf had the skull design on the front. The Savoyard just had plain eye holes and no nose hole. With only a small breathing hole that is a smile. Not that i am confused im just saying the Savoyard doesnt look like a skull. Like this one.

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I do not think that helmets which literally had the skull faced visor were ever made in any significant quantity. The term "totenkopf" is used to refer to crude fully-enclosing helmets with holes for the eyes and mouth in a generic sense. In other words, it's interchangeable with "Savoyard." Here are a bunch of pictures, which I hope can be of use to you.

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A cruder version:
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Yes, i now understand , its just confusing when you see a skull design next to a design that looks simpler and call them both totenkopf. Savoyard is just another name for it i see it now.

One minor question what was the small metal bar on the left side of the helmet`s mouth for? I have always wondered what that was. If you can tell me thanks alot i see them on all 16th/17th century helmets

That is a lifting peg for raising the visor.