Winged helmet
A winged helmet is a helmet at the sides of wings are attached.
Mythology
This form of the helmet is often found in antique and antique-style depictions of gods and goddesses. So the Greek god Hermes (Latin Mercurius ) regularly depicted with a winged helmet. Also, Roma, the patron goddess of Rome, wearing a winged helmet on coins.
Historic Helmets
Helmets with decorative elements in the form of bird or dragon wings were used in different cultures, such as ancient Greece, the Roman Empire, Poland and others. The use was in most cases ceremonial purposes. In a few exceptional cases, such as the Polish balaclava or versions of Pylos helmet these helmets were also used in combat. The wing helmets are in most cases parade versions, which are not as also not suitable due to their design to combat and protect the wearer.
19th century
The second root of faith in Gallic or Germanic wing helmets can be found at the Greek writer Diodorus Siculus. He writes in his in the first century BC incurred historical work over the Gauls:
On their heads they put bronze helmets with large knob or large animals on the left appear larger the carrier of the helmets; so horns are moored to it, in some cases, in other cases, heads of birds and quadrupeds.
This statement leaves the interpretation to all the same, that the Gauls also wings attached to their helmets, which are archaeologically undetectable because they consisted of organic material and rotten. The Gallic helmets that were found, but are rather round to conical, and have but one tip at the apex of the helmet, no device, with which animal wings could be mounted sideways.
To the widespread notion that Germans had taken wing helmets, also the long usual costume in the operas of Richard Wagner has contributed, in whom were stretching and Asen wing helmets.
Heraldry
In heraldry the Merkurhut and the caduceus is a common figure, and stands as a symbol of the Roman god Mercury for trading.
Popular culture
The 1925 introduced hallmark of the French cigarette brand Gauloises (French for " Gallierinnen " ) shows a winged helmet. Rota therefore presented the artist Uderzo many Gauls his comic book series Asterix with wings helmets dar.
In the Anglo-American popular culture, they are also used: To be borne by the supernaturally fast superhero The Flash since the 1940s, a winged helmet, referring to the headgear of the Greek god Hermes. Stylized wing can also be found on the helmets of several football teams such as the Michigan Wolverines. In the fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings by the English author JRR Tolkien include wing helmets to equip the warrior of the fictional kingdom of Gondor.
Gallery
Mercury with his typical winged helmet, painting by Hendrick Goltzius, 1611
Francois Gerard: Ossian calls the gods. Paintings from 1801, Malmaison Castle near Paris
The monument of Vercingetorix in Clermont- Ferrand (detail)
Detail view of the Hermann monument near Detmold
The Germanic god Odin with a winged helmet, 1888
Brünnhilde with a winged helmet. Illustration by Arthur Rackham (1867 - 1939) of Richard Wagner's opera Die Walküre.
Three hats in the arms of the local church Emmelshausen
The logo of the cigarette brand Gauloises in its current form
Various characters from the Asterix comics on a Brussels mural