Helmets are surprisingly rare in general. The relatively short supply of Anglo-Saxon helmets might be disappointing to reenactors, book cover artists and historic drama costume departments, but it’s not all that surprising. There’s a bigger problem though we don’t even know how many examples we have. Such gear is most abundant from the early period (5-7th centuries) thanks to grave goods from the ultimately doomed furnished-burial rite, but even from these centuries, that most evocative item of war-gear, the helmet, is exquisitely rare. The scale of Anglo-Saxon armies continues to be debated, and it is not entirely clear how well equipped they were, but archaeological discoveries in recent decades have provided abundant examples of war-gear – especially weapons – to inform our image of Anglo-Saxon warriors. The Anglo-Saxon period in Britain spanned six centuries, and although it is unfairly reductive to characterise it purely as a time of war, it is undoubtedly true that regular clashes between well-equipped armies peppered the period and dictated the convoluted path taken from locally identifying post-Roman communities to a coherent united England.

No surprise then, that over and above all the other treasures in that unprecedented burial panoply (including some with considerably higher bullion value) it is the helmet from Sutton Hoo that has become emblematic of the assemblage, and the most enduring symbol both of Anglo-Saxon material culture, and even of British history itself. It is in our nature to recognise and emotionally respond to faces, and it is hard to stare into the eyes of the Sutton Hoo helmet and not feel as though you have, in some sense, met a person, rather than simply viewed an archaeological artefact. This is particularly ironic given that, at least in some cases, helmets in antiquity were designed to create an intimidating sense of “otherness”, occupying the “uncanny valley” between metalwork and man. Sutton Hoo Helmet (reconstr.) - Wikimedia Commonsįew archaeological finds are as evocative as helmets - many items of war-gear can help paint a picture of ancient battlefields, but in framing (or in some cases directly representing) the face, helmets help to humanise warriors from centuries past. A corpus review & quibbling rant by Æd Thompson Opinion: There are FIVE Anglo-Saxon Helmets (and the Staffordshire Helm isn’t one of them) The nose and mouth-piece are cast as one they are made of parcel-gilt and partly tinned copper alloy, with engraved detail and silver inlay.Only five helmets and the Staffordshire Helm isnt one of them. The iron crest and copper alloy eyebrows are inlaid with silver wire the eyebrows have gilt zoomorphic terminals consisting of boar heads, and strips of garnet cloisonné work immediately above the eye sockets. The crest itself is of iron and has gilt animal terminals at the forehead and back of the head, the animals having cloisonné garnet eyes.

A crest runs over the cap of the helmet and leads down the face in a straight line, forming the nose, which is gilt copper alloy. The warrior motifs are known as the 'Dancing Warrior' and 'Fallen Warrior'. Three different dies were used for the figural scenes and two for the interlace. The copper alloy sheets are stamped with various patterns including animal interlace, and warrior motifs depicted in two panels. Covered with panels of tinned copper alloy sheeting. Iron and tinned copper alloy helmet, consisting of many pieces of iron, now built into a reconstruction, forming cap, cheek-pieces, mask and neck-guard.

Early medieval helmets