Carolingian Helmets

From The Viking Age Compendium
Revision as of 15:52, 12 August 2012 by Admin (Talk | contribs) (See Also)

Jump to: navigation, search
Completion Ratings
This article's completion rating is 1 out of 5
Article planned for future work. No real progress to date


Recreation Guide
800-899 900-979 980-1040 1041-1100
Unacceptable
Vivians Bible,Paris,Bib. Nat. Cod. Lat. 1, c.850AD. After [OAKESHOTT 1960]:p.153

Art

  • No depictions from Anglo-Saxon manuscripts.

Literature

  • Laxdaela Saga (Ch.63) He had a spanga-brynja (q.v.) and a steel cap, the brim of which was as wide as a hand's breadth, and a shining axe on his shoulder, the edge of which seemed to be two feet long. He had black eyes, and was very Viking-like in appearance. [OAKESHOTT 1960]:p.152

Archaeology

  • No helms of this style have been found.

Discussion
Nicolle states that the Carolingian helmet has never been adequately explained. He then expresses a theory that this style of helm may be Italian as it can be seen in Italian art both before and after the Carolingian period. It was from Italy that the salet (a similar style of helm) spread across Europe in the C14th. [NICOLLE 2005]:p.60
Oakeshott comments that in his opinion some of the depictions of these helmets in Carolingian manuscripts are so similar to late roman art that “one wonders whether they are not debased copies of these and not of contemporary helmets”. [OAKESHOTT 1960]:p.153

See Also

Armour

References