The Armour Archive

I'm planning on expanding my line of helms by 3 or 4 styles over the next couple few months... so as not to stray too far from my current strengths, I'm looking to add a norse and a norman spangenhelm to my lists. What I'm looking for is a website to look at to get some ideas, style-wise. I have no intention of just copying some else's helms. I wish to make my own version of a period helm. Oh, I suppose I should note, I'm thinking 9th-11th cent.

So, if someone knows of a website with such helms on it, I'd appreciate the help.

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Otto's Armoury
(home of one HIGHLY overworked armourer!) http://www.members.tripod.com/SBvast

you might try the jelling dragon or one of the many reenactor sites like regia anglorum.
Engenulf.

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It would seem fitting for a Northern folk, deriving the greater and better part of their speech, laws and customs from a Northern root, that the North should be to them, if not a holy land, yet at least a place more to be regarded than any part of the worldbeside, that howsoever their knowledge widened of other men, the faith and deeds of their forefathers would never lack intrest for them, but would always be kept in remembrance.
- William Morris

Engenulf... would you happen to have site addresses for those places?

Thanks!

he best thing, of course, would be to refer you to photos of actual helms from the archaeological record or from contemporary illustrations. However, access to these on the net is somewhat difficult to getKiev helm the Wenceslaus helm on Halvgrim's site at http://web.missouri.edu/~rls555/RUSH/helms.htm but this is the only one on that site that fits with what we think of as "Norman" helmets. The Bayeux Tapestry as at http://www.hastings1066.com/bayhi4c.shtml shows many of them, but in too little detail to be of much value. There are in fact many helms of this type in the archaeological record if you know where to look, unfortunately a litle hard to access.

Much as I hate to say so, probably the most easily accessed pictures of actual helmets are in the Opsrey book "Saxon, Viking and Norman" - just be sure to look only at primary source pictures and not to take any notice of their reconstructions, which are often suspect.



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Egfroth

"Power; it corrupts! I can FEEL it!!
see my webpage at www.geocities.com/egfrothos

http://web.missouri.edu/~rls555/RUSH/helms.htm

Here are some early examples. I dont know of a site like this for into the 11th century. The first few pages of most armour books talk about this early armour.

Ok, Egfroth beat me to it. That's what I get for watching TV while I type. I second the recommendation.

hio! sure thing.
http://www.jelldragon.com/
http://www.regia.org/

Pretty as these helmets are, keep in mind that they are a modern person's interpretation of a mediaeval original, not the original itself. You'd be better getting hold of primary source photos. Not many available on the net, but there _are_ such things as books (!)

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Egfroth

"Power; it corrupts! I can FEEL it!!
see my webpage at www.geocities.com/egfrothos