Hi there,
Before calling this any kind of 'helmet' at all I plead for thinking both logically and analytically.
If this were a helmet:
- Where is the slit for the eyes?
- Where are the rivets (holes) for the wadding and the hauberk?
- Where are the breathing holes?
- The whole thing is of extremely thin iron - how could it possibly have stood a blow by a sword or mace?!
Remember, its height is 26.7 cm. Just imagine putting it on the head, with the wadding and hauberk beneath - how could anyone possibly see and breathe? The illustrative source Cornelis posted clearly shows a much lower type of helmet leaving the sight free.
In the following I attach a broad selection of helmets, from top to bottom, six of ca. 1250, five of ca. 1300 (from the
Codex Manesse), two original
Topfhelme (pot helmets) of ca. 1300, and Gothic helmets of ca. 1350 (Germanic National Museum Nuremberg), two of ca. 1410 and one of ca. 1440. Please closely compare these on the basis of my arguments.
I have come to the conclusion that whatever this item may have been, some kind of kitchen gadget? or anything, in no case it ever was a helmet. At best, the upper half might be the rest of a helmet.
Please post contradictory sources, though!
Best,
Michael