Frog-mouth helm

As Holly helmet, even toads head helmet, a heavy tournament helmet of the 15th and early 16th century is called. He also counts next to the heraldic symbols.

The tech helmet was at the beginning of the 15th century out of the bucket helmet and was worn exclusively for piercing stuff, so a tournament armor for the joust or designated as Gestech duel on horseback with a blunt lance is meant. It consisted of a crown plate with recessed observation slit, a particularly thick front helmet wall with schiffsbugartiger form as well as a rear helmet wall with stepped behind the headboard. In addition, some tech helmets were provided with a laterally hinged helmet window, which served for ventilation.

Due to its heavy weight of the piercing helmet was originally strapped on armor. In the late 15th century it was common practice to fasten the helmet with several screws on the chest armor and a so-called Helmzagelschraube the armor back. Under the helm of the riders always wore a lined hood, which is referred to as piercing armor hood or hood. This was secured with leather straps and lacing at the piercing helmet that a certain freedom of head movement was guaranteed. The holly hood significantly reduced the risk of injury from falls and bumps lance and the weight of pressure weighing on the helmet carrier. At the tournament, the head was lowered, to use the slit to the Breaking. Just before the collision, the head was lifted to prevent the penetration of the lance splinters and to take best advantage of the Abgleitwirkung the helmet shape.

Since the reign of Emperor Frederick III. gained the piercing helmet as a symbol of the civil coat of arms heraldic significance. Due to the advent of the plank Tight Stechs 1520 all older forms of Gestechs together with the associated equipment were replaced, but finds the piercing helmet coat of arms as a symbol to the present day continue to use.

Parts of a lancing stuff from the same collection.

German tech helmet in 1500 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.