Is this horn helmet with mail historically accurate? -- myArmoury.com

J. Hargis

I saw this at Kult of Athena, a Deepeeka product I believe.

Ancient Horn Helmet
http://www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=...orn+Helmet

It seems to me that the use of horn with mail is incongruous. IOW, by the time steel mail came into use, wouldn't the helmet itself more than likely been made of steel?

So then, is such a helmet historically accurate, feasible?

Thoughts appreciated, Jon

J. Nicolaysen

Matthew Amt · Posted: Sat 08 Sep, 2018 5:43 am Post subject:

I *think* it's a little bit of a mash-up. There is a well-known Carolingian helmet with a brass frame and the panels mostly gone, though they may be iron (rusted away), I can't remember and don't have time to dig through my books! But I think the appearance of this helmet is taken from the archers on Trajan's Column, which shows segmented conical helmets with small cheekpieces and neckguards of mail or scale. It's not *too* bad for that, I suppose, though there are better options out there.

Agreed that horn is a perfectly good option, material-wise. I'd just want to see more information for the rest of the helmet.

Matthew

Graham Shearlaw · Posted: Sat 08 Sep, 2018 10:10 am Post subject:

It's a pain full eye sore.
That thing is pain full, butted mail, frame bands that don't meet each other or the plates, micro pins holding on the frame.

Ok ignoreing the horrors of Depeeka, horn helmets are known and so was mail.
Some helmets with mail have been found, but there metal helmets.
And fixed neck guards and hanging strips are more common (Vendel 14, Valsgärde 5 and Ultuna helmets), a few more horn plates would be cheap and just as good.
Such hanging strips are possibly on the Benty Grange horn helmet but have since decayed.

Victor R. · Posted: Sat 08 Sep, 2018 4:41 pm Post subject:

Horn and brass helm with stainless steel butted-maille aventail? Sure! All day long and twice on Sunday!

From what I've seen and read, the concept might not be entirely off the mark or impossible, but, wow, the Deepeeka interpretation is just awful. Brass maille rings would be better than stainless. Would still be gaudy as all heck, but wouldn't be as historically offensive as stainless.

Matthew Amt · Posted: Sun 09 Sep, 2018 6:54 am Post subject:

James Arlen Gillaspie · Industry Professional

Here is a photo of the Koln helmet.

Dan Howard · Posted: Sun 09 Sep, 2018 4:15 pm Post subject:

Don't get hung up on the butted mail. If done right, it looks far more authentic than Indian riveted mail. Not in this case, however. They couldn't even hang it properly; it should be rotated 90 degrees.