Meyrick Helmet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Meyrick Helmet |
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in the British Museum
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| Material | Bronze |
| Created | Iron Age, 1st century AD |
| Place | Northern Britain (?) |
| Present location | Room 50, British Museum, London |
| Registration | 1872,1213.2 |
The Meyrick Helmet is a special bronze helmet from the Iron Age. It has cool designs called La Tène style decoration. You can see it at the British Museum in London.
This helmet is quite rare. Only four Iron Age helmets have been found in Britain. The others are the famous Waterloo Helmet, the Canterbury Helmet, and the North Bersted Warrior helmet. The Waterloo Helmet has two horn-like shapes. But the Meyrick Helmet does not have horns. It looks more like helmets used by the Romans.
A smart archaeologist named Vincent Megaw thinks this helmet might have belonged to a British soldier. This soldier could have been an auxiliary, meaning they helped the Roman army. They might have fought against a tribe called the Brigantes around 71 to 74 AD.
Finding the Meyrick Helmet
We do not know exactly where the Meyrick Helmet was found. But its style suggests it probably came from northern England. This area was once controlled by the Brigantes tribe.
The helmet was first written about as part of a collection. This collection belonged to Sir Samuel Rush Meyrick (1783–1848). So, the helmet must have been found before 1848.
It is possible the helmet came from the Stanwick Hoard. A "hoard" is a hidden collection of valuable items. This hoard had about 140 bronze objects. It was found between 1843 and 1845 near Stanwick Camp. This place in North Yorkshire might have been a main town, or oppidum, for the Brigantes.
After Sir Meyrick passed away, the helmet and other Iron Age items went to his cousin. This was Lt. Colonel Augustus Meyrick. He sold them between 1869 and 1872. The helmet was bought by Augustus Wollaston Franks. He was a rich expert in old objects who worked for the British Museum. Franks gave the helmet to the British Museum in 1872.
What the Helmet Looks Like
The Meyrick Helmet is seen as a Celtic version of a Roman soldier's helmet. It mixes a Roman shape with La Tène style decoration. It looks like a cone-shaped cap with a peaked guard for the neck.
The helmet is made from a single sheet of bronze. It has designs pushed out from the metal, called repoussé decoration. These designs are in the La Tène style. You can see similar designs on the Waterloo Helmet. The designs are on the neck guard and on broken side pieces.
On the neck guard, there are two flat, round bumps. These bumps have criss-cross lines. They used to hold red glass enamel studs. There are also holes on each side. These holes were for attaching a chin-strap or cheekpiece. A hole at the top of the helmet was for a plumed top-knot. On the outer edge of the helmet, there are two small marks. These might be the Roman number "II".
See also
