SA0243 Barbute Helmet – Early Medieval

Barbute Helmet – Early Medieval
The defining characteristic of the barbute is the helmet’s downward extension,
fully covering both sides of the user’s face. Regardless of the type of opening, Tshaped, Y-shaped or arch-shaped, this characteristic was always present. This
helmet design enabled the user to wear a gorget.[2] In place of a plate gorget, the
barbute was often worn with a stiffened mail collar, termed a “standard,” which
protected the throat and neck. In some examples, there is a central, narrow
protrusion extending down from the top of the opening, designed to protect the
wearer’s nose. Sometimes, like Italian sallets, barbutes were covered by a rich
decorative fabric, typically heavy velvet.Unlike the sallet, the barbute seems to
have enjoyed little popularity outside Italy.The main differences between the
barbute and the Greek hoplite’s helm to which it is often compared is the
difference in material and the lack of a prominent decorative crest. Ancient
Greeks used bronze, while most barbutes were constructed of steel.Barbutes were
made most commonly from a single sheet of steel using the metal smithing process
of raising until the piece assumed the desired shape. Many barbutes feature a low
ridged crest forged into the top of the helmet’s skull which served to strengthen
the helmet without adding a significant amount of weight.