Suggestions on Helmet Lining?

[Caballo]

"a photo of potery showing a hoplitew ith upturned cheeks of a chalkidic helemt showing clearly some pudding".

So that was how the Greeks kept from getting hungry on the march!

[mcbishop]

I am perplexed by the title "Fellhelme.

Don't worry - just do what the rest of us do and call them 'hairy helmets'.

Mike Bishop

[caiusbeerquitius]

The correct translation would be 'fur helmets'.

[Crispvs]

"There is a helmet from Vindonissa that is to be published soon which was found in a leather bag and included its lining. The word 'Filz' was used in describing that lining to me: felt. As soon as I have the details of the publication, I will post it to RAT.

Mike Bishop"

D D D D D D D

Mike,
I have been waiting for years for that piece of news. You have just made my month!

For the past seven years I have been wearing a padded woollen cap inside my helmet in what started as an experiment in the effectiveness of such a cap as padding in the absence of any evidence other than the somewhat ambiguous Newstead and Hod Hill finds. I now eagerly look forward to throwing the padded cap away and making a new lining based on an actual one.

Crispvs :lol:

[Tarbicus]

From the way the Russian Militia Police wear felt coats and boots in winter, wouldn't felt be a bit too hot for hot weather and climates? Especially as heatstroke is the beginnings of your brain being boiled.

Couldn't the felt have been glued in for cold winters, and a lighter arming cap or headwrap used for hotter months?

That said, armour made of felt was apparently very effective, so the added shock absorption would be a bonus.

Cheers.

[Tasciavanous]

Especially as heatstroke is the beginnings of your brain being boiled.

Couldn't the felt have been glued in for cold winters, and a lighter arming cap or headwrap used for hotter months?

True heatstroke could be (and probably was) a problem. But I would have thought that you would only wear your helmet when you were "on duty". So the whole over heating thing wouldn't be such a big issue? After all protection from unpleasant barbarians with weapons would seem a more pressing issue that overheating.

[Tarbicus]

But I would have thought that you would only wear your helmet when you were "on duty". So the whole over heating thing wouldn't be such a big issue? After all protection from unpleasant barbarians with weapons would seem a more pressing issue that overheating.

10 hours on a fluid battlefield in a hot climate leads me to think it's not practical to expect the men to stay on their feet reliably under such conditions with a felt lining and the armour, if it's a very hot summer day (campaign season) in a hot country. A hot day for the Coldstream Guards can cause some to faint after a few hours, and that's only British sun with very little comparable exertion on very fit men.

Have any such linings been found in countries with hot climates all year round, does anyone know? Or is it only in countries that have low temperatures on average? All I'm thinking is that there may have been a few different linings or inners for the helmets, depending on climate and season. It's not an unreasonable suggestion to make, and I can see why the felt lining would be in situ in Germany. That said, Middle Eastern countries can get very cold as well, as can Greece

Cheers.