Nasal helmet

The nasal helmet was a medieval helmet type, which had developed from the conical Spangenhelmen and ironing helmets. The helmet shape obtained in only a few original copies appear especially in the 11-12. Century on numerous video sources, but was used until the end of the 13th century.

The Nasalhelm

The nasal helmet was an iron helmet of the early Middle Ages, had a nose piece ( nasal ), which is the lower end sometimes becomes increasingly wider. The helmet bowl is tapered, so that the protective effect is increased. From the 10th century the nasal helmet was, in contrast to the multi-piece and two-piece helmet buckle strap helmet, increasingly forged only from a single iron plate. Under the Nasalhelm was to provide additional protection often a hood worn out chain braid. The Nasalhelm is mistakenly known as Norman helmet, although it has been used throughout Europe.

Most Nasalhelme were found in Germanic and Slavic -populated areas of Central and Eastern Europe. The connection with the Normans could be due to the notoriety of the Bayeux Tapestry, are depicted on the many Norman knights with a nasal helmet. The Anglo-Saxons also imaged on the carpet wearing Nasalhelme, reflecting the spread of often held for exclusively norman helmet. A nasal helmet with a particularly wide nose piece was the identity of the wearer hide what is indicated on the Bayeux Tapestry.

In the 13th century the pot helmet to protect the head preferred battling Western and Central European nobility was, but the nasal helmet was fully replaced until the end of the same century by other helmet types.

Similar to the recent pot and bucket helmets also many Nasalhelme were originally painted heraldic or wore a helmet decoration. A miniature in the Liber ad honorem Augusti sive de rebus Siculis of Peter de Ebulo ( 1195/97, Bern, Burgerbibliothek ) suggests that crusaders auswiesen by an appropriate helmet painting.

Some of the few remaining original helmets are interrupted at the bottom through holes, which are sometimes interpreted in the literature as " Nietlochungen ". In fact, it might be here to holes for mounting a helmet padding, or in the holes of a steel braid ring was mounted as neck protection. Such " neck mountains " seem to have been used from the early 12th century. Younger Nasalhelme wear accordingly, usually a small hook at the end of the nose iron. The gorget was pulled up, and now also supported the lower half of the head, made ​​her carrier but largely unrecognizable. This " full fairing " the head eventually led to the development of the pot and bucket helmets of the High Middle Ages.

The helmet of Saint Wenceslas

The most famous preserved " Nasal " is the so-called Wenceslas helmet in the Prague Cathedral. The specimen is, however, from a younger Eisenkalotte (probably 10th century ) and an older Early Medieval cross-shaped nose piece. The helmet would not have been used in this form in combat. There is evidently a pure representation helmet, with its silver plate studded and ornate Nasal most likely to come from the Scandinavian region. Maybe the helmet was also specifically as a relic for veneration of St. Wenzel made ​​of Bohemia, so never actually worn by Premyslid.

Original helmets Received

The exact chronology of the five surviving original copies is difficult. They are usually dated to roughly 11-12 century. The slightly older helmet form still shows no hook at Nasa maker, should therefore have been produced by the end of the 11th century. The helmet of Saint Wenceslas in Prague is not considered in the scientific sense as "real " Nasalhelm.

  • Nasalhelm from the Meuse (Netherlands). (Mainz, Roman - Germanic Central Museum, Inv 0.39806 ). - The helmet has no Nasalhaken, but for the vertex a pen with heart shaped eyelet for attaching a crest.
  • Nasalhelm from Olomouc ( Czech Republic). (Vienna Kunsthistorisches Museum, Collection of Arms and Armour, Inv HJRK A 41 )
  • Nasal Lednicki from the lake ( Poland). ( Lednogóra, Muzeum Pierwszych Piastów na Lednicy, Inv MPP 3/240/61/59 )
  • Nasalhelm from Augsburg ( Augsburg. Roman Museum ). Very well preserved specimen with triangular nasal and hooks
  • Nasal Helmet ( bottom Fund). Leoben village (Lower Austria ), Castle Kreuzenstein
Cervelliere Kettle hat Western Europe Heraldry Burgerbibliothek of Berne Bevor Meuse (river) Burg Kreuzenstein
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