05-19-2015, 05:52 AM
Very nice helmet. This does seem to be a fairly common hellenistic helmet design. For some reason museums and auction houses like to group them in with the pilos type. Here are a few more examples:
http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot/a...ID=4265306
http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot/a...ID=3993895
http://www.altertuemliches.at/files/hh_6..._35000.jpg
I suppose they do this because of the tall crown, but I see even this element as somewhat different from the typical pilos. The average pilos has a convex curve all the way to the very top of the helmet, while with these ones the curve becomes concave near the top, terminating in a rather sharp peak. I am tempted to see a relationship between these helmets and Near Eastern designs which featured this look since at least the time of the Assyrians. Perhaps these helmets are a blend of the Boeotian and other Greek designs with elements of Near Eastern ones.
Because the top of the one you posted is missing, it's hard to tell if it conforms to this shape or not.
http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot/a...ID=4265306
http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot/a...ID=3993895
http://www.altertuemliches.at/files/hh_6..._35000.jpg
I suppose they do this because of the tall crown, but I see even this element as somewhat different from the typical pilos. The average pilos has a convex curve all the way to the very top of the helmet, while with these ones the curve becomes concave near the top, terminating in a rather sharp peak. I am tempted to see a relationship between these helmets and Near Eastern designs which featured this look since at least the time of the Assyrians. Perhaps these helmets are a blend of the Boeotian and other Greek designs with elements of Near Eastern ones.
Because the top of the one you posted is missing, it's hard to tell if it conforms to this shape or not.
-Michael