Explore the Objects

Roman cavalry helmet with cheekpieces 3 and 6

The Hallaton Helmet has an iron base which is covered with richly decorated and gilded silver to convey the high status of the cavalry officer who wore it 2000 years ago. A female flanked by lions and rams stares imposingly from the brow-guard – is she a protective goddess or a revered empress? A laurel wreath features on the crown, suggestive of a military victory for the owner. Cheekpiece 6 (left) was definitely attached to this helmet whereas we cannot be sure about Cheekpiece 3 (right). The cheekpieces show a Roman horse rider trampling a defeated enemy with the goddess Victory flying behind him.

Cheekpiece 1

This beautifully preserved cheekpiece was the first to be excavated in the laboratory. It is decorated in silver using repoussé, a method where designs are created by hammering the reverse side of the metal. It shows a triumphant Roman (possibly an emperor) with his arm in salute, riding his horse over a dejected enemy who cowers with his head in his hands. The goddess Victory flies behind the rider and holds a palm leaf, a symbol of victory. Like all the cheekpieces from Hallaton, it has a moulded life-sized human ear which would have fitted over the wearer’s ear.

Cheekpiece 2

This cheekpiece retains much of the gilded surface on top of the silver sheet and is the best preserved of the cheekpieces from the later phases of conservation work that ended in 2020. Interestingly, the gold leaf appears in the background of the design (bottom left) as well as on the figures. Did it have a mainly gold appearance when new?  It has a very similar design to Cheekpiece 1 but the defeated enemy looks more feminine and it was likely crafted by a different silversmith.

Cheekpiece 4

This cheekpiece has a slightly different design to the others with a large swag at the top and right-hand side. The defeated enemy wears a banded cap or helmet and a cloak fastened by a circular brooch. He looks similar to depictions of the Dacians, inhabitants of the area that now falls mainly in modern-day Romania.

Cheekpiece 5

Cheekpiece 5 is similar to Cheekpiece 6 in that the goddess holds a laurel wreath above the rider’s head instead of a palm leaf. Both motifs symbolise victory. The bronze rivet and fastening loop, used to tie the cheekpieces under the wearer’s chin, can clearly be seen on this object.

Cheekpiece 7

Cheekpiece 7 was recovered in fragments from the soil around the helmet pit, suggesting that ploughing had disturbed the upper layers in the past.

Silver chasing lions and knob

These delicate fragments of decorated silver sheet originally formed one object which was bent over on itself at some point before it was buried. A curly-maned lion chases another with a wavy mane and the manes have been gilded to appear even more luxurious. The silver knob with crossed ribbon-like decoration was originally attached above the lions – was it once surrounded by further chasing lions? Were these fragments from a once luxurious item later considered to be scrap?

Ear-guard

This object would have been attached to a helmet bowl above where the cheekpieces attach via bronze rivets. The Hallaton Helmet’s bowl already has an ear-guard on either side so this item must be from another helmet bowl which was not buried at the shrine.

Folded silver package

This package of undecorated silver sheet was found buried between the cheekpieces in the helmet pit. It does not appear to be directly related to the helmet parts. Was it silver scrap or fragments destined to adorn other Roman helmets?

Folded silver package

Folder silver package

This package of undecorated silver sheet was found buried between the cheekpieces in the helmet pit. It does not appear to be directly related to the helmet parts. Was it silver scrap or fragments destined to adorn other Roman helmets?

Gilded silver fragments

Various fragments of decorated silver sheet that retain their original gold leaf. It is not certain what type of object these pieces originally came from.

Gilded silver leaf fragment

Various fragments of decorated silver sheet that retain their original gold leaf. It is not certain what type of object these pieces originally came from.

Silver face

This tiny face was found near to parts of Cheekpiece 5 so it could be the missing face of the rider from that object. It looks similar to the faces of the riders on Cheekpieces 1 and 2.

Silver swirled fragment

This silver fragment is reminiscent of curly hair or hair styled in a spiral design. Roman cavalry helmet bowls often had ‘hair’ designs. The conservators did not think this belonged to the Hallaton Helmet’s bowl, but it could perhaps be from another helmet.

Molten silver fragment

This blob of silver has been melted and then solidified without being formed into a particular shape. This is evidence of metalworking and possibly recycling of silver. It shows that whoever buried the objects in the helmet pit at Hallaton was not focused solely on the burial of whole and finished objects.