Britain’s first ever Viking helmet discovered

Preston Park Museum (UK) ^

[ameribbean expat]

A corroded, damaged helmet unearthed in Yarm, Stockton-on-Tees, in the 1950s is a rare, 10th century Anglo-Scandinavian helmet, the first ever found in Britain and only the second nearly complete Viking helmet found in the world.

**** The hammer marks covering the surface and ragged edges of the infill plates show the helmet was made at a blacksmiths forge without benefit of additional refinement. The rivet holes were punched through hot metal from the outer side, ensuring a smooth exterior that would not catch bladed weapons. The out turned lip of the brow band was a later alteration, pushing the mail curtain away from the neck, possibly to protect an injury.

***** The construction of the helmet is workmanlike and indicates that it was intended for use, not display. This fits with its suggested date of being Anglo-Scandinavian (Viking). By the 11th century armies were larger and used tactics such as shield walls with archers raining arrows down, as shown in the Bayeux Tapestry. This differs from the individual combat of an earlier period where the use of armour would not have been necessary. The lack of armour, helmets and mail hauberks (shirt of chain mail), was considered a key factor in the Vikings losing the battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066.

***** The Yarm helmet now joins the Gjermundbu helmet, Norway, as the second example from this period.

The iron of which the helmet is made, its method of manufacture, its shape, even its plain functional nature correspond well with a 10th century date...All the evidence points to this being a rare early medieval helmet which was most probably made and used in the north of England in the 10th century.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

Ever notice that in the movie GLADIATOR that some of the gladiator’s helmets are viking helms made 800 years later?

[TXnMA]

GGG Ping!

~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks, ameribbean expat! I'd often wondered how the mail curtain was affixed to medieval helmets...

I agree that the out-turned edge probably was an "aftermarket fix". If done as part of the original design, I'd expect the flare to be more obtuse -- to deflect a sword blade away, rather than catching it. (And, I'd expect the mail to be fastened on the inside, for the same reason...)

The first smith to contrive that "crossed bands & hoop" foundation was a real genius!

It's great to see early technology like this preserved for us to appreciate!

TXnMA    
  

[Beowulf9]

So cool though.

I’m wondering if there were different helmets for different statuses, or perhaps it’s due to availability of craftmen? Or is it lack of ornate design due to an earlier period?

[Beowulf9]

So glad you put this here. Love this :)

[the OlLine Rebel]

Wait a minute.

Unearthed in the FIFTIES?

So this is not a recent discovery. What happened? No one examined it all that time?

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks for all the pings! I wonder if the guy with the meds problem will be showing up to berate me for my participation in the Viking genocide of the Picts. Should be fun. :^)

[21twelve]

“...it has been on loan to Preston Park Museum from Yarm Town Council for a number of decades. It had never previously been researched and the age of the helmet had caused much debate until now.

In recent years a project led by Dr Chris Caple, Emeritus Reader at Durham University, has been underway to discover new information about the helmet and the findings have just been reported in the journal Medieval Archaeology 64/1.”

Showing this article to my wife.

“See - I’m not the only one that keeps putting stuff off.”

[nicollo]

berate me for my participation in the Viking genocide of the Picts

Really, that's the best he can do?

How 'bout me and my Viking ancestors who gang raped the "volunteer" slave girl who was to be buried with the chief?

(Well, that's what a muzzie said: https://www.ancient-origins.net/history/10th-century-chronicle-violent-orgiastic-funeral-viking-chieftain-002865)

[SunkenCiv]

It's a textbook case of muzzie projection.