04-06-2008, 10:31 PM
Hi Mythos!
There are different types of iberian (not celtiberians) helmets, depending on the geographical area and the cronological moment. But in general we can say that:
The most common and the most ancient iberian helmet type is made of leather, sometimes with any bronce or iron decorative pieces and high plumes. These are ancient models in use before the roman presence in the Iberian Peninsula, from 5th cent. to early III cent. b. C. Unfortunately, there is no archaeological evidence of them. The most important source to know what kind of helmets carried the iberian warriors of that period is the iconography and scuplture (the warriors of Porcuna in Andalousia is the most important reference).
This kind of leather helmets are documented too in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula, thanks to one example of iron crest (like the Cigarralejo necropolis one) and in any bronze votive statuettes from the east of the Iberian Peninsula (Moixent warrior).
During the 2nd Punic wars, many iberian warriors serve in the Carthaginian army or the Roman army as allies. So, they adopt the Montefortino bronze type without checkpieces (it seems to have been a hindrance to the iberian warriors), overall in the south east and central areas of the Iberian Peninsula, with the Ebro river as a kind of cultural frontier.
To the north of this river, the iberian culture traditionally received gallic/celtic influences. So, the most common type of helmet there was the iron celtic of La Tene (Can Miralles and Vallfogona de Balaguer) from 4th to 2nd cent. b. C.
During the roman advance to the celtiberian territories (2nd cent. b. C.), the montefortino and other types of bronze helmets like the Samnitic type (like the Numancia one) are probably captured to the roman defeated legionaries and used by celtiberians. It seems to be clear that usually, celtiberian warriors didn't use metallic helmets until the roman presence in their territories, excluding the Alpasenque iron type, datable in 5th cent. b. C.
Indeed, we're trying to reproduce iberian leather helmets from 5th to 3rd cent. b. C.
Anyway, If you want, i can send you images of some original helmets from Spain and our reenactment version. Send me your mail in a private message. It will be a pleasure to help you in all i can.
All this information can be really entended by prof. Fernando Quesada Sanz, actually the best iberian panoply expert of Spain.
And sorry, but our webpage is still under construction...
Greetings from Laitania!
There are different types of iberian (not celtiberians) helmets, depending on the geographical area and the cronological moment. But in general we can say that:
The most common and the most ancient iberian helmet type is made of leather, sometimes with any bronce or iron decorative pieces and high plumes. These are ancient models in use before the roman presence in the Iberian Peninsula, from 5th cent. to early III cent. b. C. Unfortunately, there is no archaeological evidence of them. The most important source to know what kind of helmets carried the iberian warriors of that period is the iconography and scuplture (the warriors of Porcuna in Andalousia is the most important reference).
This kind of leather helmets are documented too in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula, thanks to one example of iron crest (like the Cigarralejo necropolis one) and in any bronze votive statuettes from the east of the Iberian Peninsula (Moixent warrior).
During the 2nd Punic wars, many iberian warriors serve in the Carthaginian army or the Roman army as allies. So, they adopt the Montefortino bronze type without checkpieces (it seems to have been a hindrance to the iberian warriors), overall in the south east and central areas of the Iberian Peninsula, with the Ebro river as a kind of cultural frontier.
To the north of this river, the iberian culture traditionally received gallic/celtic influences. So, the most common type of helmet there was the iron celtic of La Tene (Can Miralles and Vallfogona de Balaguer) from 4th to 2nd cent. b. C.
During the roman advance to the celtiberian territories (2nd cent. b. C.), the montefortino and other types of bronze helmets like the Samnitic type (like the Numancia one) are probably captured to the roman defeated legionaries and used by celtiberians. It seems to be clear that usually, celtiberian warriors didn't use metallic helmets until the roman presence in their territories, excluding the Alpasenque iron type, datable in 5th cent. b. C.
Indeed, we're trying to reproduce iberian leather helmets from 5th to 3rd cent. b. C.
Anyway, If you want, i can send you images of some original helmets from Spain and our reenactment version. Send me your mail in a private message. It will be a pleasure to help you in all i can.
All this information can be really entended by prof. Fernando Quesada Sanz, actually the best iberian panoply expert of Spain.
And sorry, but our webpage is still under construction...
Greetings from Laitania!
