Nasal Helmet from Olmütz, 11th Century

Nasal Helmet from Olmütz, 11th Century

Helmets with cone-shaped bowl and nose guard (or nasal) were chiefly in use in the High Middle Ages, especially in the 11th and 12th centuries. Although only a total of five original examples have been found to date (most of them in the Germanic and Slavic territories of Central and Eastern Europe), numerous high medieval illustrations attest to the popularity and widespread use of this particular type of helmet throughout Europe. As these helmets are illustrated on the famous Bayeux Tapestry, which depicts the conquest of England by the Normans (Battle of Hastings 1066), they are often, though misleadingly, referred to as Norman helmets.

The conical helmet we offer here is based on one of the few surviving nasal helmets from the High Middle Ages – the nasal helmet from Olmütz (or Olomouc), which was found in 1864 nearby the church of Olomouc in Moravia (Czechia), and is now on display at the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Art History) in Vienna, Austria.
Our Olmütz helmet is crafted from approx. 1.8 mm thick steel and blackened on the inside for better corrosion resistance. The riveted suspension liner and the adjustable chin strap are made of black* leather (*the above pictures differ from the actual colour).

This wearable medieval helmet is most fitting for settings of the high Middle Ages and ideal to complete the armour of a European warrior.

Details:
- Material: 1.8 mm steel, leather inlay, leather chin strap with antiqued brass buckle
- Suitable for head circumference up to approx. 61 cm
- Long distance (back to front): approx. 20 cm
- Short distance (ear to ear): approx. 19 cm
- Height: approx. 20 cm
- Nose guard: approx. 8 cm long / 3.3 cm wide
- Weight: approx. 1550 g

Specs may slightly vary from piece to piece.

The steel used here is not rust-proof and might show slight surface tarnishing in places. We recommend you to maintain helmets on a regular basis, for example using Ballistol Universal Oil, which is ideally suited for steel care.