Pieces of a helmet! (whith gold) -- myArmoury.com

Andreas Zach · Posted: Sun 07 Oct, 2007 6:56 am Post subject: Pieces of a helmet! (whith gold)

Hello everybody!

My name is zecki and i am a newbi here!
I come from austria and my english is not so good!

And now i have one Question! I have foundet a view pieces of a helmet!
(in german: Spangenhelm) of the 5th century!

Is this a very rare found?
And from witch folk is this helmet?

Andreas Zach · Posted: Sun 07 Oct, 2007 11:31 am Post subject:

Here is a foto of a helmet from the Book "Germanica"!

Gavin Kisebach · Posted: Sun 07 Oct, 2007 7:40 pm Post subject:

Hello Andreas,

This is also known as a spangenhelm to most English speakers, we couldn't think up a better name.

I have seen helmets like this before, but I cannot say for sure. I would guess that this is eastern European or even Rus, for a couple or reasons.

First, this type of tall, almost conical helm seems to be more popular the further east one travels.

Second, the connecting bands on the helm flare out towards the base. This is also more typical of eastern helms. Come to think of it, I don't think I have ever seen flaring bands on a western / north western spangen.

Third, the relief pattern on the band around the base of the helm appear to be (it's kind of fuzzy) a floral motif with at least one animal that might be a lion. This again points east.

I have attached a picture that I had in my picture archive. I don't know where I got it, so my apologies if this is your image. Worried

Gavin Kisebach · Posted: Sun 07 Oct, 2007 7:43 pm Post subject:

WHoops... I guess i didn't read your post closly enough... you found those pieces? Where did you find them, in Austria?

Andreas Zach · Posted: Mon 08 Oct, 2007 12:43 pm Post subject:

Hello,good evenig!

Yes, i found this pieces in east-Austria!
And a man (expert) told me that this is a very very rare found!
And he said he think this are the pieces of a Spangenhelm from the Langobardes but he is not sure!

Merv Cannon

[quote="Andreas Zach"]Hello everybody!

My name is zecki and i am a newbi here!And now i have one Question! I have foundet a view pieces of a helmet!
(in german: Spangenhelm) of the 5th century!quote]

Hi Andreas, welcome to myArmoury !
I am very interrested, please, to find out from you.........How thick is the metal ? Not the width or the length, but the thickness of the metal they used. Would it be perhaps 1mm thick ?
My friend told me that some Spangenhelms had brass decoration of straps only about 1 or 1.5 mm thick, and so it would not be very hard to work with.

Thank you !

Cheers !

Gregory J. Liebau · Posted: Tue 09 Oct, 2007 1:23 am Post subject:

Andreas,

Grüß Gott! Pieces like that are indeed rare, and because they were found on your nation's soil I believe you should consider contacting a museum such as the KHM about cataloging and preserving the pieces. The link to their website is www.khm.at and I hope you are able to uncover the mystery of your pieces, and also get them professionally preserved. It is indeed a rare find. I also believe you are quite accurate in your research as to what form of spangenhelm the pieces may have originated from. Excellent comparison.

-Gregory-