Witcham Gravel Helmet, Roman Auxiliary Helmet, 1.2mm Steel

Get Witcham Gravel Helmet, Roman Auxiliary Helmet, 1.2mm Steel

Witcham gravel helmet, cavalry helmet of the Roman auxiliary troops, steel, with helmet shield

This beautiful Roman helmet is a replica of a find from the 1st century (ca. 50-75 AD), which was excavated by peat cutters near Witcham Gravel, Cambridgeshire, England, in 1870 and can now be admired in the British Museum in London.

The largely preserved original, classified as a Roman auxiliary cavalry helmet of type B, consisted of an iron core (now almost completely corroded) with a partial outer layer of bronze (tin-plated copper alloy). Traces in the crown area indicate that the helmet originally had a crest. Although this artifact has some identifying features typical of the so-called Imperial Gallic or Imperial Gallic helmet (sloped neck guard, cheek flaps with circular decorative rosettes), it is the only surviving example of a type B helmet. This uniqueness lies in the presence of large, hollow bronze hemispheres or protuberances decorating the neck guard and the bell of the helmet. Because of the characteristic shape of these humps, reminiscent of bicycle bells, this rare piece was nicknamed the bicycle bell helmet in England.

This replica of the Roman Witcham Gravel auxiliary cavalry helmet with movable cheek flaps is made of 1.2 mm polished steel and richly decorated with brass applications. Since the helmet has no integrated lining, the use of an additional padded hood is recommended for comfortable wearing. Small rings on the inside of the cheek flaps offer the option of attaching a chin strap (not included). The yellow crista , which is based on a reference in Ars Tactica by the ancient Greek historian Arrian, has a red-painted wooden frame and can be attached to the pre-drilled dome using the three supplied screws.

Details:

- Material: 1.2mm steel with brass fittings, horsehair helmet cap with wooden frame

- Suitable for head circumference up to approx. 63 cm.
- Long interior distance (back of head-front): approx. 23 cm

- Short inner distance (ear-to-ear): approx. 19 cm

- Weight (helmet only): approx. 3 kg

- Weight with helmet shell: approx. 3.4 kg

The above specifications may vary slightly from copy to copy.