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Composite (?) attic helmets with scales and hair locks
#1
Question 
Greetings



There is a particular kind of probably attic/chalkidean helmet that we find drawn on pottery during the early-mid classical era. Sometimes it appears to be a hybridic corinthian with ear cuts, sometimes it appears to be more open faced. Sometimes it doesnt even have a nose guard, but almost always there are indications of hinged cheek guards. It seems to have replaced the archaic type corinthian helmet in the depictions of gods and heroes. Most of the times it appears heavily decorated with scales, nails, or checkered painting. Some of these seem to have eyrbrows and above the representation of forehead hair locks (bangs?), in the popular archaic/early classical style.



A characteristic example can be seen in this Brygos painter work.


[Image: texn_4.1.4_153.jpg]

The helmet of Achilles has a checkered pattern and these forehead locks. Judging from the lavish artifacts in the scene, we can assume that these kind of helmets were considered as top notch.

Here is another example depicting Achilles dressing Patroclous wounds

[Image: 1774cb4d3f2ab7c863f462c771617170.jpg]

The hair locks are missing but the whole helmet is covered in scales.

Ηere is an example with both hair locks and scales

[Image: corinthian-helmet-00016.jpg]

And here is a modern reconstruction
[Image: corinthian-helmet-00005-500x749.jpg]

http://www.hellenicarmors.gr/armor/corinthian-helmet/

These helmets appear very frequent in pottery but to my knowledge we have not recovered any. My main question is, were these some kind of hybrid, composite helmets or they were just highly finished attic/chalkidean helmets? The scale pattern appear even on some corinthian helmet drawings. Were these real scales or just a sculpted/painted on decoration? The same for the hair locks. Were these sculpted in bronze? Were they a separate piece possibly covering joints? Could they be made out of a different material like the reconstructed one?
I have seen an example of italian attic helmet with extruded hair locks, so Im not so sure thet they would be made from a different material even if it was an extra piece.

Your thoughts on the matter will be appreciated.

Thanks
aka Yannis
----------------
Molon lave
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#2
This has come up before:
https://www.romanarmytalk.com/rat/showth...ght=scales

Qui sepeliunt capita sua in terra, deos volantes non videbunt.
--Flavius Flav 
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#3
Thank you! Do you have any insight about the ''hair lock'' part? Im not exactly convinced by the Hellenic Armours example. I think that the originals would probably have raised bronze details keeping in with the ''bronze man'' motif. Im noticing that most of the times they belong to upper class/heroic individuals and not common soldiers.
aka Yannis
----------------
Molon lave
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#4
(07-19-2019, 10:14 PM)Idomeneas Wrote: Thank you! Do you have any insight about the ''hair lock'' part? Im not exactly convinced by the Hellenic Armours example. I think that the originals would probably have raised bronze details keeping in with the ''bronze man'' motif. Im noticing that most of the times they belong to upper class/heroic individuals and not common soldiers.
You bet!
 i don't think the "hair lock" detail has been sufficiently explained, and no one is sure (par for the course).  Perhaps others could offer opinions?  Also, I'm not sure if those scaled Greek helmets actually existed; that could be painted decoration or even repousse decoration being shown --most folks think that's the answer.

Qui sepeliunt capita sua in terra, deos volantes non videbunt.
--Flavius Flav 
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#5
(07-20-2019, 05:15 AM)Feinman Wrote:  i don't think the "hair lock" detail has been sufficiently explained, and no one is sure (par for the course).  Perhaps others could offer opinions?  Also, I'm not sure if those scaled Greek helmets actually existed; that could be painted decoration or even repousse decoration being shown --most folks think that's the answer.

There are several "Corinthian" and "Apulian Corinthian" helmets with this feature in "Antike Helme" Mainz 1988, some have engraved curls and at least one with raised embossed curls, other embossing such eyebrows, animals designs on the cheeks and decorative engraving or embossing of various designs is also pretty common, so I would expect all of this decoration to be either engraved or embossed since it seems to be the normal practice.

Compared with these examples the "reconstruction" just looks wrong to me... this is always a problem when trying to replicate art alone...

Wink
Ivor

"And the four bare walls stand on the seashore. a wreck a skeleton a monument of that instability and vicissitude to which all things human are subject. Not a dwelling within sight, and the farm labourer, and curious traveller, are the only persons that ever visit the scene where once so many thousands were congregated." T.Lewin 1867
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#6
Thanks, Crispianus! That makes sense.

Qui sepeliunt capita sua in terra, deos volantes non videbunt.
--Flavius Flav 
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