The top picture is a reconstruction of the Imperial Italic helmet from Theilenhofen, probably dating to the second quarter of the second century AD. This looks like the DSC reproduction available through Armamentaria.
The second picture is a reconstruction of the Imperial Italic 'G' helmet from Hebron, also dating to the second quarter of the second century AD. I am not sure who this has been manufactured by but the feather tubes which have been applied to the sides are incorrect. The original helmet did not have feather tubes and I do not know of any other post first century AD helmets which do either. However the iron ear guards are correct for this helmet and the manufacturer has tried to accurately recreate the decorative strips along the browband and the front edge of the peak.
The third helmet is the old Deepeeka 'G' with a more accurate crest fitted. It looks as if for some reason they have fitted some sort of transverse bar over the skull of the helmet, for which I cannot think of any evidence, but then again it might just be a trick of the light.
Crispvs
Who is called \'\'Paul\'\' by no-one other than his wife, parents and brothers. :!: <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_exclaim.gif" alt=":!:" title="Exclamation" />:!:
Where Crispvs has mentioned earlier about a piece of wood for securing the straps of a helmet, here are the pieces of wood found in the Gallic D helmet when found for the cheek pieces were folded inwards that kept these bits of wood inside the helmet.
With both straps put through the hole in the wood cone and anything fitted to their ends to prevent the cone falling off, one just pushes the cone up under the chin and holding the straps it brings the cheek plates together.
Then with just one loop of the straps and the cone cannot come down and the helmet is secured.
There is a recess in the base of the cone which I consider would have held a metal band to prevent the cone from splitting under pressure, there may also have been a metal band on the disc however it would have been held on by three pins at 120 degrees to prevent this ring from gimbaling if it had only two.
[attachment=11347]GallicDwoodcone.jpg[/attachment]
That helmet is a reproduction of the Imperial Gallic type 'C' helmet from the River Kupa in Romania. I am not sure who made it but it looks pretty good and I suspect it might be by Erik Koenig.
Thanks for putting those pictures up Brian. I use a glass bead myself and simply tie a little thumb knot under it, which works very well. However, the two pieces which were found with the Imperial Gallic 'D' may well be exactly what you have helpfully suggested for a number of years and I would be interested in knowing how many people have tried using the exact format suggested by the original parts.
Crispvs
Who is called \'\'Paul\'\' by no-one other than his wife, parents and brothers. :!: <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_exclaim.gif" alt=":!:" title="Exclamation" />:!:
Sorry - my mistake. :oops: You absolutely right. The River Kupa is indeed in Croatia not Romania. I think I may be right in thinking the Kupa helmet can in fact be seen in the museum in Sisak, not far from a pair of pugiones I am rather fond of (in their unrestored state, that is).
Crispvs
Who is called \'\'Paul\'\' by no-one other than his wife, parents and brothers. :!: <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_exclaim.gif" alt=":!:" title="Exclamation" />:!:
Crispvs.
When I made the Gallic D that is how I put the straps onto it as the picrture shows however I used deer horn drilled out for the terminals of the straps, but as I have mentioned maybe there were 3 holes on the edge of that disc holding the metal ring around its edge otherwise the ring would gimbal around if only 2.
Hower there is no problem for a metal ring on the recess of the cone were that is only held by 2 pins, where we look at the disc we can see 2 pin holes and these look to be 120 degrees apart hence indicating that there may well have been three.
This is a method where I would think that a soldier could be in an at ease situation with his cheek plates then when needed he could pull them in and come to readiness so easy with a quick over loop that locks it all for him.
I have made one or two that I have sent to people but don't know if they are being used.
In that case I bow down to your skill as an armourer. I wouldn't worry too much about the form of the eyebrows as some of the originals are nowhere as neatly done as we would often like to imagine. Top marks on an excellent piece of work. I am sure Brian, as a master armourer himself, will echo my sentiment.
Crispvs
Who is called \'\'Paul\'\' by no-one other than his wife, parents and brothers. :!: <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_exclaim.gif" alt=":!:" title="Exclamation" />:!:
Here is a picture of the Gallic D that I made where it shows the wooden cone holding the cheek plates, the art of this is to make the straps tight in the hole of the cone.
Then when the cone is slid up under the chin and the two straps under the cone are cross tied the cone just cannot come down for the loop of the straps will not go through the hole in the cone.
The picture also shows how the helmet looked when found with its replacement left cheek plate the original had obviously been damaged.
[attachment=11369]100_0251Small.jpg[/attachment]
