Budapest Régiségei 30. (1993)

TÁRGYI EMLÉKEK ÉS LELETEK = DENKMÄLER UND FUNDE - Kocsis László: A recently identified cavalry sports helmet from Aquincum = Új lovassági sportsisak lelet Aquincumból 281-292

be evaluated on it and involving fragment Nos. 7, 2 and 8 the result is a cavalry helmet referring to cavalry sports helmet type E according to Robinson typology. The helmets No. 3 and partly 4 from Eining give the ' closest parallels. The cavalry sports helmet type E consists of two separate parts both fully decorated with embossed ornaments i. e. skull-piece and helmet mask. Female face motif is characteristic for type E helmets therefore on both the skull-piece and the mask embossed female curling hairs sometimes with jewels braided into to hair are typical but the mask certainly depicts a female face . The curly hair motif on fragment Nos.l and 3 and the face pattern on fragment No. 5 exclude the presumption that the discussed helmet would belong to the group of helmets of auxiliary cavalry. Hair curl motif occurs only on the helmets of the auxiliary cavalry type H where the body is made of iron and only partly covered by embossed bronze plates. The most typical example of this type is the iron helmet from Heddernheim and the bronze helmet diadem from 13 Thorsberg Moor . Both cited examples show only a narrow embossed bronze plate framing without any traces of high relief technique while the fragment Nos. 1, 2, 7 and 8 belonging to rim relate more to a separate body than a cover. The second objective can be answered by studying the helmets 2, 3 and 4 from Eining. All three helmet fragments are skull-pieces and refer to cavalry sports helmet type E but different in design. The Eining No 2 skull-piece represents the closest match to the Aquincum-Csúcshegy fragment (Plate 5, Fig. 2.). Not only the rim design but the pierced hole is also very similar to the features observed on fragment No. 8. Other similarity is the double line pattern band and the line of dots in conjunction with the band. The line is in leaning position on the Eining helmet while horizontal on the Aquincum-Csúcshegy helmet (see fragment Nos. 1 and 4). The style of separation of the embossed field and the plain stripe with a double line of dots pearl string is also the same in both cases (see fragment Nos. 1, 2, 7 and 8). The most concerned fragment No. 5 with face representation can also be identified as a bust on the ridge based on the example of Eining helmet No. 2. This helmet is the only example for application a female(?) face - a sphinx(?) - on the ridge. In the vast majority of cases an eagle with spreaded wing appears on the ridge. On the basis of Victoria portrayal on Eining helmet No. 2 the patterns on fragment Nos. 6b and 6c can be identified with high probability as feathers of Victoria's wing (Plate 6). The fragment Nos. 1, 3 and 6d however can not be explained using the Eining helmet No. 2 as model since there is no embossed hair curl motif on it. The possible explanations can be created to solve this contradiction. 1. The Aquincum-Csúcshegy helmet is a variation of cavalry sports helmet type E. Although this solution can not be excluded completely it looks a less probable alternative. 2. The fragments belong to two separate helmets. The Eining helmets No. 3 and 4 (Plate 5, Fig. 1) are the closest parallels of the Aquincum-Csúcshegy fragment Nos. 1,3 and 6d but some differences can be observed. The vertical rim on fragment No. 1 differs from the design applied on Eining helmet Nos. 3 and 4. The Une pattern band separates the hair curl from the face i.e. the mask. This feature does not exclude completely the relationship between the Aquincum-Csúcshegy and Eining helmets in case of the hair curl patterned ones (Plate 7). The material testing protocols state the analyzed samples are made of the same material with high probability

1 . This observation does not exclude the assumption that plates deriving from the same casting were used in making two separate helmets. The Eining helmets prove that two or more cavalry sports helmets type E can occur in one lot, in one place. Although the survey of Aquincum-Csúcshegy helmet, fragments is not thoroughly documented appearance of other fragments can be predicted. Summary The bronze plate fragments registered as eight different inventory items can be classified with highest probability as cavalry sports helmet type E according to the Robinson typology. This classification is mostly supported by the evaluation of fragment Nos. 1, 2, 7 and 8. This helmet type consists of two parts i.e. skullpiece and helmet mask. The cavalry sports helmet type E includes both skull-piece with female face decoration and mask. Only the quite rare skull-piece without mask can be reconstructed from the fragments. Two variations of the same type of helmet were finally identified by detailed study of the fragments. The material testing and the Eining treasury also support this solution because it shows an example of appearance of two variations in one lot. The face motif on Eining helmet No. 2 is similar in design and only slightly different in finishing than the face on Aquincum-Csúcshegy fragment No. 5. The details of finishing on the Aquincum-Csúcshegy fragment show higher skills than that of the Eining helmet Nos. 2, 3, and 4. Although only a few fragments preserved fine details suitable for evaluation it seems likely that the Aquincum-Csúcshegy helmet can be considered as prototype of the Eining helmets. The helmet fragments can be dated to the last third of 2nd century - first quarter of the 3rd century A. D. based on the chronology of the archaeological site, the Robinson and Kohlért typologies and the Eining helmets as closest parallels. 283