Helmets consisted originally of leather, copper, bronze, iron or steel, in addition, of strengthened textiles and even of gold. Today helmets exist ith D. R. from resistant plastic material, e.g. Kevlar.

Beside the protecting functions of the helmet, usually special helmets serve also the representation (see parade helmet).

With soldiers the helmet does not serve any longer the protection from directly arriving projectiles, since their striking power is too large in the meantime, but before flying around fragments, articles and transverse racquets.

History of the helmet

Early helmets

It is to be assumed that, which humans already tried since pre and earlyhistorical time to protect the sensitive head portion against weapon effect. One might have used head coverages from strengthened textiles, skin, leather and the like. Homer describes in the Ilias felt caps, which were covered with Lederstreifen, on which with outstanding heroes rows of Wildschweinhauern was fastened. The oldest received helmets originate from the sumerischen culture area. The Sumerer used since beginning of the 3. Millenium v.Chr simple bronze helmets over an ear protection, forehead and face ordered left however unprotected. For member of the sumerischen Oberschicht helmets from gold were obviously made. In the same epoch also the Egyptians might have used bronze helmets, besides head coverages were used from strengthened linen. The first iron helmets became probably since that 14. Century v.Chr of the Hethitern uses. Some were obviously provided by the simple, conical helmets of the Hethiter with horns. Also the Dorer, since that the 12. Century v.Chr into the today's Greece, used iron helmets penetrated. The mykenische culture prevailing there used still bronze helmets, besides leather helmets were used, to whose exterior the teeth were attached by approximately 30-40 Ebern and which are therefore called Eberzahnhelme.

Antique Greek helmets

In the Greek culture area the Eisenzeit was released by the immigration of the Dorer, but manufactured the Greeks still for many centuries helmets from bronze. Developed different kinds of helmet, which are designated after the respective Greek region, in which it first became common. With the korinthischen helmet it concerns the probably most well-known Greek helmet type. It originated in at the beginning 7. Century v.Chr and one forged from only one bronze plate. The korinthische helmet depended strongly on the human head form and protected with its cheek pieces and the leading-edge section a majority of the head. As most Greek helmets was frequently with a verziert it. From the korinthischen helmet developed the chalkidische and the attische helmet, which left a larger field of vision to their carrier. All these kinds of helmet could be withdrawn easily up to the forehead, in order to make in a engagements break an unrestricted field of vision and an unhindered respiration possible. In 4. Century v. Chr. they replaced the korinthischen type as far as possible, together with the thrakischen helmet, which phrygischer helmet is called. The latter was invented by the Greeks themselves, reminded partly to the traditional felt cap of the Thraker (a form of the phrygischen cap), with its long pieces of cheek and the high, frequently forward curved Helmglocke. Besides existed (like nearly always) also numerous combinations, which characteristics of different kinds exhibited.

In the center 4. Century v.Chr the helmet arose in the Greek culture area, which protected the forehead of the face only and which field of view did not limit. Since for the Reiterei a unhindered view important be than for in a close Phalanx fight Hopliten, the type with it fast like. Nevertheless riders of this time used also the helmet types specified above.

Roman helmets (cassis)

The helmets of the Romans were affected in early Roman history strongly by other cultures, particularly of the etruskischen, celtic and Greek. Variants of the chaldikischen helmet were usual with the Romans, as well as smoothed conical helmets. At times of the late Roman republic conical helmets with neck screen, suggested front comb and flexible cheek pieces arose, which were carried as far as the end of the Roman realm by most whereby they were occasionally no longer conical. Also the Roman Helmzier and is enough for feathers/springs) disappeared to a large extent with the time. The Romans seem to have changed over as a first people to make specialized kinds of helmet in particular for The most well-known Gladiatorenhelm is that of the Myrmillo in such a way specified. This helmet possesses a large front and Nackenschutz and a lattice-like Gesichtsschutz. Besides it is equipped with a large comb, which will provide with a Helmzier could. Admitted Roman helmet types: Montefortino, Coolus, Weisenau (helmet).

People migration and the early Middle Ages

The dominating helmet type of this time was the Spangenhelm introduced by the Sarmaten, which found both with Romans and Byzantinern and with the Germanic peoples active spreading. This helmet consisted of 3-6 metal handles fixed by a front hoar frost. The gaps between front hoar frost and metal handles were locked with metal plates. A Spangenhelm had a piece of nose, is called Nasalhelm. Spangenhelme often had flexible cheek pieces and a Nackenschutz from chain network. Skandinavier, Rus and fishing rod Saxonia used partially Spangenhelme with a special eye protection (eyeglass helmet), also a Gesichtsschutz from chain network or an anthropomorphic Gesichtsmaske (mask helmet) were common. The Spangenhelm and its subspecies remained through the whole early Middle Ages the most important European metal helmet.

High-medieval helmets

In the high Middle Ages the forging art was improved, so that starting from that 10. Century n.Chr conical helmets with nose protection emerged, which were manufactured from only one Eisenplatte. Besides it usual to provide Spangenhelme and also helmets from a plate with a piece of nose which becomes ever broader to the lower end. Sometimes this high-medieval Nasalhelm is falsely called Normannenhelm, although it was far common in the high Middle Ages in Europe. In 12. Cylindrically formed helmets stepped century beside the conical Nasalhelm. These helmets possessed first also a piece of nose, which was displaced fast by a fixed visor with Seh and louvers. From this developed the pot helmet, which was easily adapted in the course of the time of the head form and therefore was no longer cylindrical. Approximately to the same time kinds of helmet developed as the simple iron hat with broad Krempe and those for the head adapted, conical basin hood, which protected and under the pot helmet was often carried the entire head up to the face. The pot helmet remained in 14. Century inside the most effective helmet of the European knight.

Helmets of the late Middle Ages and the early modern times

In the center 14. Century developed from the simple basin hood the Hundsgugel in such a way specified with pointedly approaching bell and a long, dog-lip-like visor. The Hundsgugel was supplemented mostly by a chain network to the protection by neck and neck and offered a better view and a better protection than the pot helmet. Besides special tournament helmets were forged, as for example the frog muzzle helmet over ten of the kilograms could weigh. In the first half 15. Century arose helmets like the Armet and the Schaller, which displaced the Hundsgugel. The Armet umschloss the entire head and possessed a turn-up visor. From the trailblazing Armet the closed helmet should follow later. The streamlined Schaller developed from the iron hat and by one at the chest tank fastened chin and neck flap completed. In the center 15. Century arose in Italy the Barbuta, which reminds completely in the sense of the Renaissance of the antique korinthischen helmet. At the beginning 16. Century developed the closed helmet, with which the visor and the Kinnschutz were fixed at the helmet at the same place laterally. The closed helmet became fast the most important helmet of the heavy Reiterei and existed in several variants.

In the further process 16. Century arose simpler helmets, which were used mostly by the foot people. In addition the Birnhelm with high, pointedly approaching bell and narrow Krempe and the Morion took in account at front and rear side of pointedly approaching Krempe and with high comb in its most well-known variant. There the battles in the course 16. Century ever more strongly by formation fights and view restrictions by powder steam, selected many riders were coined/shaped starting from the center of the century the open Sturmhaube than helmet. The Sturmhaube had a neck and a Wangenschutz and an eye screen. There was this helmet as variant with a downward opening by hinges visor. The closed helmet became in 17. Century inside used, since it offered the best protection, but helmets the one unrestricted view became guaranteed ever more common. In the first half 17. Century variants of the Sturmhaube and the originating from Hungary were nearly only used, which likewise had neck and Wangenschutz as well as an eye screen. In the second half 17. Century came arms nearly completely except use, and thus also helmets. When the heavy helmets leave themselves exception to call, which were carried by some Sappeuren with FE storages. Also the Reiterei kept isolated at carrying a helmet firm, but happened this rather for representative reasons. In 18. To century one went isolated to over carrying during the fire fighting of helmets. The Austrians carried particularly in the fight against the Turks as far as the end 18. Century heavy helmets.

Articles in category "Helmet"

We found here 47 articles.