A Debreceni Déri Múzeum Évkönyve 1966-1967 (Debrecen, 1968)

Erdélyi István: Egy köraközépkori vassisak a Déri Múzeumban

István Erdélyi An i ron helmet from the early Middle Ages in the Déri Museum There is an iron helmet in the collection of the Déri Museum of Debrecen; it is 20 cm high, the diameter is 23 and 20.5 cm. It seems beyond doubt that the helmet was brought to Debrecen from the municipal museum of Kamenec-Podolsk, probably during World War I. The helmet was found near the village of Niemia, at the left bank of the river Dnestr, in 1892. The helmet was identified with the help of a study by A. Kirpitchnikov. The helmet is wrought of one piece of iron. As appears from the holes throughout the brim, there was a mail attached to protect the warrior' s neck. The helmet also had a nasal, but this is missing now. The brim of the helmet is decorated with a gilded copper band of 3.30 cm width, which has been preserved for the most part. The band is decorated with an engraved garland, representing one variation of the Heraklean knot. The background is stamped, in the front and in the middle the broadening gilded copper plate simulates a human mask. Both motifs were attributed the role of protection, preventing disaster. Craftsmen of the Middle Ages adopted such ancient loop garlands through the medium of Byzantinum. The helmet described by us was made in the 11th century. It may have been worn by a Russian warrior, by a member of the druzhina — but it may as well have been in the possession of a nomadic chieftain. The helmet is a fine example of the cultural relationship of Norman (Viking), Russian, Russian-nomadic peoples. The closest counterpieces of this helmet are the helmet of Olmiitz, and the one of unknown findspot in the Wilczkow Collection. 205