МАЭ № 2872-1

Helmet

Iranians

18th century

steel, copper wire, silver (?)

height 28; length of camail max 30

Helmet was one of the main parts of Persian defensive plate armour. It had semi-sphere shape and was richly decorated with floral ornament, Arabian script, hunt scenes traditional for Iranian fine arts. In addition it was adorned with feathers. A camail was fixed along the lower edge of helmet to protect warrior’s neck and back. It is Iran that historically was the center of defensive armament production in Asia, Iranian arming was spread in Arabia, India, Turkey, Middle Asia, the Caucasus and Russia. With firearm expansion defensive armament production was reduced and terminated. In the 19th century in Iran ceremonial helmets were mainly produced and used in historical performances.

Ethnography of South and South-West Asia