MIGRATION PERIOD IRON BANDED HELMET - "SPANGENHELM" !

Pricing & History

Sold for
Start Free Trial or Sign In to see what it's worth.
Sold Date
Source eBay

A relic from the dark age of European history, worthy of a leading Museum! An original antique MIGRATION PERIOD IRON BANDED HELMET ("SPANGENHELM") - 5th - 7th Century AD Osthrogothic type found in southern Dalmatia (modern-day Serbia) Dimensions: height: ca. 6 inches; width: ca. 7 inches; diameter: ca. 9 inches Of conical form and constructed of four quadrant-shaped iron plates riveted within a framework comprised of a broad iron brow-band ("Pressblech") and four medially-ridged vertical bands ("Spangen"), decorated with large hemispherical bosses, and converge at their upper ends, forming a cross. THE "SPANGENHELM" - THE MOST TYPICAL HELMET OF THE DARK AGE! With the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the early years of the fifth century, the greater part of Europe found itself exposed to a succession of invasions by Goths, Huns, Vandals, Slavs and other warlike tribes, each intent on expanding into, and then holding against their rivals, the territories vacated by the departing imperial legions. The classic headpiece of this period of intense military activity was the so-called Spangenhelm (band-helmet), formed of a mosaic of riveted bands and plates. The popularity of this type of helmet was due not only to the relative ease with which it could be made, but more especially to the fact that, in an age when iron could only be produced in very limited quantities, it could be made of small plates. The earliest evidence for the manufacture of the Spangenhelm comes from Mesopotamia in the form of Sassanian examples of the fourth century, such as one in the National Museum of Iraq, Bagdad, found at the site of the Ischtar Temple in Nineveh, and another two in the British Museum, London, of which one was found at Amlasch, to the south-west of the Caspian Sea. By the fifth century the use of the Spangenhelm had spread from the Middle East to Europe. The splendidly preserved example shown is of the Ostrogothic type, which was also copied by migrating people under ostrogothic influence. Its general features can be recorded in two examples of about 500 in the Hofjagd- und Rustkammer, Vienna (Inv. No. A 1996-7 & A2348) respectively found at Sveti Vid near Metkovic, Central Dalmatia, and Steinbrunn, near Lake Neusiedler, Eastern Austria, both lying within the former territories of the Ostrogoths. All Spangenhelm s found in Western Europe were probably royal gifts, indications of diplomatic relations to the Ostrogothic court in Ravenna; some of them were decorated with bronze or even gold elements and are masterpieces of the Ostrogothic royal armourers, unlike this one, which was certainly used by an Ostrogothic warlord in a battle. It also seems to be an early example, probably dating rather from the beginning of the 5th century. How far the Ostrogoths extended their sp of influence may be judged from the discovery of similar helmets in such widely scattered areas as the Scandinavian island of Gotland, Eastern France, Alsace, Switzerland, Schwabia, the Lower and Middle Rhineland, Saxony, the Austrian Alps, Slovakia, Smyrna, Southern Dalmatia and Central Italy. One Ostrogothic Spangenhelm has even been found as far afield as Sabratha, Libya, and is now to be seen in the local museum t Not inappropriately, the period in which these helmets were made is usually referred to as the "Migration Period". The helmet shown can be seen as a rare relic of a time of unprecedented military activity that forever changed the face of Europe. (Cf. Catalogue of the Armoury in Vienna, vol. I, pl. 2) THE OSTROGOTHS The Goths are probably the most fascinating nation of the Migration Üeriod. Claiming a legendary origin in Scandinavia, they crossed the Baltic Sea and settled in modern-day Poland and Lithuania, before they were forced to migrate into the steppe of Scythia, the modern-day Ukraine, until they reached the northern shores of the Dark Sea in the 3rd century AD, w they split into the Visigoths and the Ostrogoths. When the Visigot... read more

Items in the Price Guide are obtained exclusively from licensors and partners solely for our members’ research needs.

Flag item for content or copyright

If this item contains incorrect or inappropriate information please contact us here to flag it for review.

If you are the originator/copyright holder of this photo/item and would prefer it be excluded from our community, contact us here for removal.