Wooden Germanic Helmet from the Pre-Roman Iron Age

[Harjaz]

[attachment=673]woodenhelmet.png[/attachment]
Hi everyone,

A friend of mine sent me this picture of a wooden Germanic helmet that was dated to the pre-Roman iron age in Denmark. However, he did mention that some archeologists arn't even sure if it is a helmet. Could anyone give me more information about it?

thanks,

Dan

[Kai]

What makes them think it is a helmet? Was it found with other military equipment e.g.? Are there comparable wooden helmets? I mean turn it around and you get a nice bowl...

Sorry for offering more questions, it is just that I am interested in that, never having heart of wooden helmets.

regards
Kai

[Harjaz]

Well, if it were a bowl, I think the rim would be flat, not curve down in the back. I too have not heard of wooden helmets before I saw this, but since the Germanic tribes were relatively iron-poor at this time, a wooden helmet would be an option. I don't know if it was found along side weapons or other war gear. That's what I'm hoping to find out

[Robert Vermaat]

It's a coconut of course. Now, what swallow would have carried it from Africa to Germany?

But joking aside, why use a wooden helmet (wood is easy to split) when you have plenty of leather, which would be much easier to use an (rawhide) a better material as well?

[Conal]

As a former for leather helmets?

[jho]

Several wooden metal plated helmets of a very similar form have been found in the Alpine region (one at Molinazzo d’Arbedo, and several at Giubiasco). They are classified as the "Tessin (Ticino)" helmet type.

Based on similar full metal helmets associated in grave finds with Roman gladii and Latene D material they are dated to the first century BC. See POUX, M.: Sur les traces de César. Militaria tardo-républicains en contexte gaulois. Actes de la table ronde de Bibracte, 17 octobre 2002. Glux-en-Glenne : Centre archéologique européen du Mont Beuvray (Bibracte); Schaaff, U., (1988), "Keltische Helme" in Bottini, A. (Ed), "Antike Helme" (RGZM, Mainz) and Coutil, L. (1914), "Casques Proto-Etrusques, Etrusques et Gaulois“.

This is the first fully wooden version I see but based on the parallels cited above it may very well have been a helmet - Fascinating!

Do you have a reference to a publication of the find??

[Harjaz]

I wish I did have a reference! Unfortunately, I konw very little about this find, and I'm hoping to get some imput from the experts and maybe even identify the find. This truely is a fascinating discovery! The only thing I know about it is that it was found in Denmark, and it's dated to the Pre-Roman Iron Age. If those similar full metal helmets are dated to about the 1st cen BC, it fits in with the Pre-Roman iron age. It's possible that it was as copy of a full metal helmet.

[MeinPanzer]

This is one of three helmets made from alder root wood found in the bog of Uglemose at Birket on the island of Lolland in southern Denmark. This helmet in particular apparently had a bone arrowhead lodged in it when it was discovered, confirming that it was a helmet. These have not been carbon dated, but they are quite similar to north Italian and Slovenian examples of Negau helmets, and thus were probably copied from this type and date to the late pre-Roman Iron Age. For more information, see Fleming Kaul, "The Gundestrup Cauldron," in Acta Archaeologica 66 (1995): 1-38, and, for the original publication, T. Mathaissen, Traehjelmene fra Uglemosen (Nykobing Falster: Lolland- Falsters Historiske Famfunds Aarbog, 1952).

[jho]

Thank you for the reference. When trying to find a copy on the internet, I noticed that there appears to be a more recent publication on these helmets:

Flemming Kaul, Hjelme af træ, Skalk 2011 Nr. 1, p. 3-8

"Skalk" appears to be a popular archaeological journal. Does any RATer have access to this publication?

[Kai]

Actually it the journal of the Forhistorisk Museum Arhus and a good (pre-)archaeological library should have it.

Thanks for the information in this thread btw!

[Harjaz]

Wow! Thanks for helping me out with this! Do any of you have any links to these documents or papers concerning this find that are online? It doesn't matter if they're in Danish, because i can always use google translate

[Robert Vermaat]

Fascinating.

This is one of three helmets made from alder root wood.

Really? Just wood? Metal plated wood I can understand, but would this wood be strong enough to offer enough protection?

[Matthew Amt]

Why not? Shields and shield bosses were wood. Obviously metal is preferable, but wood should be at least comparable to leather. Particularly if it's root wood--won't split easily!

Plus, I'm always terrified around water while wearing a metal helmet, not wanting to accidentally drop it in the drink, but a wooden helmet will float!

This is really cool, I had no idea such things had been found! Thanks for posting!

Matthew

[MeinPanzer]

Really? Just wood? Metal plated wood I can understand, but would this wood be strong enough to offer enough protection?

Yep, just wood - no other organic material was found with the helmets. Native American tribes of the Pacific Northwest often used wooden armour and full wooden helmets, even after firearms were introduced, despite the fact that they could easily have made use of lighter and more resistant leather helmets or armour. One of these helmets from Uglemose was at least effective enough to stop an arrow, so the average Germanic warrior may have been contented enough to use one despite its limitations.

I will quote here from Fernando Echeverria Rey's article "Weapons and Technological Determinism," p. 49:

We tend to think that the problems and disadvantages of [military] technology are obvious, but ancient history shows that, if there are lessons to be learned, then people rarely paid attention.... Prejudices can lead peoples to ignore, restrict or reject innovations; mistakes are frequently repeated; and 'scientific' learning from experience is sometimes hard to find.

[Virilis]

Fascinating.

This is one of three helmets made from alder root wood.

Really? Just wood? Metal plated wood I can understand, but would this wood be strong enough to offer enough protection?

Yes, it would be way too easy for the enemy just to burn the helmets :twisted: !