+- RomanArmyTalk (https://www.romanarmytalk.com/rat)
+-- Forum: Research Arena (https://www.romanarmytalk.com/rat/forumdisplay.php?fid=4)
+--- Forum: Roman Military History & Archaeology (https://www.romanarmytalk.com/rat/forumdisplay.php?fid=8)
+--- Thread: Meyrick helmet- new photo (/showthread.php?tid=13383)
Meyrick helmet- new photo - Caballo - 08-14-2008
The "Celtic" Meyrick helmet in the British Museum. To my mind, a copy of a Roman helmet by a Celtic craftsman?
![[Image: IMG_2585.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/PaulHB/IMG_2585.jpg)
![[Image: IMG_2586.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/PaulHB/IMG_2586.jpg)
Re: Meyrick helmet- new photo - Praefectusclassis - 08-15-2008
Huh, that's interesting. Why copy, in one piece, the handle?
Re: Meyrick helmet- new photo - Caballo - 08-15-2008
My bet was that the Celtic craftsman- unable to read Latin- was given a design to copy?
Strong parallel with today's Indian craftsmen who often are working off a drawing without necessarily understanding the whole thing?
Re: Meyrick helmet- new photo - Praefectusclassis - 08-15-2008
Like what? A drawing? It seems awfully precise to do without actually seeing the original.
Re: Meyrick helmet- new photo - madoc - 08-15-2008
I have a four page photocopied report on this helmet.
it says there is the roman numeral II "incised in antiquity" on the right hand side (which I can see the pics in the report), which is similar to the XII incised in the roman helmet from the River Wensum.
![[Image: meyrick007.jpg]](http://www.vicus.org.uk/images/helmets/meyrick007.jpg)
Re: Meyrick helmet- new photo - Tarbicus - 08-15-2008
British auxiliary?
Re: Meyrick helmet- new photo - Urselius - 08-15-2008
The Celts were leading the field at this period in helmet design, the Romans were the copyists.
The skull is conical, not a very Roman feature, and the design on the neckpiece looks like typical La Tene 'swirly stuff' to me. If it is a copy of a Roman carrying handle then it has been transformed by the artistic genius of the craftsman.
Re: Meyrick helmet- new photo - john m roberts - 08-15-2008
Sort of reminds me of the later ring pommel swords, where the formerly free moving ring has degenerated into an abstraction, a ring shaped bump on the pommel.
Re: Meyrick helmet- new photo - le Cavalier Invisible - 08-16-2008
Quote:Sort of reminds me of the later ring pommel swords, where the formerly free moving ring has degenerated into an abstraction, a ring shaped bump on the pommel.
So you mean it could be fashion or something like that? They liked the shape, but didn't think the actual helmet handle was of any use for them? Quite possible.. :?
Greetz,
Re: Meyrick helmet- new photo - L C Cinna - 08-17-2008
Quote:The Celts were leading the field at this period in helmet design, the Romans were the copyists.
The skull is conical, not a very Roman feature, and the design on the neckpiece looks like typical La Tene 'swirly stuff' to me. If it is a copy of a Roman carrying handle then it has been transformed by the artistic genius of the craftsman.
Agree, seems more like the whole thing is rather a "plantlike" decoration than the imitation of a handle.
Re: Meyrick helmet- new photo - MARCvSVIBIvSMAvRINvS - 08-17-2008
Personally with the Roman numerals incised on it, and the rivet hole for a browband, i think this might much more likely be an auxiliary Gallic cavalry helmet than a typical Celtic type.
But since i do not know the dating of this find i cannot be certain.
M.VIB.M.
Re: Meyrick helmet- new photo - madoc - 08-18-2008
Te rivet hole on the side is not for a brow ridge but probably for the rest of the hinge to hold cheek guards.
Here is an impression of that (you can see the wear lines of the outline):
![[Image: meyrick008.jpg]](http://www.vicus.org.uk/images/helmets/meyrick008.jpg)
Re: Meyrick helmet- new photo - MARCvSVIBIvSMAvRINvS - 08-18-2008
Ah ok that makes things more clear!
M.VIB.M.
Re: Meyrick helmet- new photo - Caratacus - 08-20-2008
There are almost identical patterns to that seen on the neck guard here on "Celtic" mirrors as well as things like the so-called 'Battersea' shield. Craftsmen would often produce visual puns - turn it upside down and it looks like a cat, turn it the other way up and its more like an owl.
Caratacus
(Mike Thomas)