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Most of this is just preliminary research I have done for myself and for a basic class I teach in the SCA called "Helms in the SCA that are commonly called "Viking1" Helms" or "What really is and isn't a "Viking" helm (in the SCA)."
Most of the information below came from my copy of Dominic Tweddle's "The Anglian Helm from Coppergate." The book is full of information on many of the helms listed below. After reading thru it I highly recommend the book for both beginners and more experienced research gurus. My love for helms and helm research was spared by this book. It and its bibliography have lead me on an amazing search for knowledge that i hope never ends. It has also produced many contacts from around the world that have lead to very nice friendships too, I value these friendships as much as the knowledge I have gained.
Lastly, before you begin your adventure into the information contained here, please know that I am an arm chair research geek, I have no college back ground, I just like to research this subject. So you may find that this compilation is less that professional in appearance, I apologize for this but I am learning as I go on the presentation aspect of this;) So please don't take this work as the gods truth, it is in its infancy at this time, being mostly some pics, my thoughts, and a few blurbs from literature that may be as much as 50 yrs old (or older in some cases) In time I will also include a bibliography (these are actually forming now) of the books and other sources I have used to make this a more informative and documentable resource for everyone interested.
And now for our featured presentation.................;)
Basically before we begin I should start with a few definitions:
Pre "Viking" Age Helms - These are helms that are found in graves/sites that come from before 793. There are more than a hand full of these.
"Viking" Age Helms - These are helms that are found in graves/sites that come from between 793 (the raid on Lindesfarne) and 1066 (the battle of Stamford Bridge). There are a few of these around.
And, now for the big wrench in the works, one more definition
"Viking" Helms - This would be a helm made by Scandinavians, in Scandinavian, worn by a Scandinavian (presumably) and found in a Scandinavian grave site. THERE IS ONLY ONE OF THESE TO DATE!
Now most of these helms can also be divided into 3 other classifications: Spangenhelms, Lamellenhelms, and Crested Helms (see pics below2.)
Greta Arwidsson also proposed that these, and a few other, helms can be broken down further into the following classifications.
- Group A1-Helmets w/o a crest but with hinged plates protecting the face and throat
- Group A2- Helmets w/o a crest but with mail as face and throat protection
- Group B1- Helmets with a crest and with hinged plates as throat and neck protection
- Group B2- Helmets with a crest and mail as face and throat protection
These groupings work well for Swedish examples and the Sutton Hoo, but starts to break down when applied to helms of Anglo-Saxon origin. (Example: The Benty Grange can be classified as either A1 or B1 depending on whether you consider the three dimensional boar as a crest but more importantly the neck protection is fixed in mounting not hinged.)
Below are links to my pages that document the various 'more well known/documented' helms that are most commonly called "Viking" helms in the SCA. In truth most of those listed below are Pre "Viking" Age, a couple are 'Viking Age' , but only one of them is a true "Viking" helm.
You may notice that when I use the word Viking, I almost always (ie when I remember;) put it in quotes. This is because over the years I have come to consider the word so generic and I almost don't like to use it but so m any folks have come to lump all the Northmen as such so in presentations to the general public its is just easier to use and thus easily understood to laymen.
- Tweddle, Dominic. The Anglian Helmet from Coppergate. Council for British Archaeology 1992
