Small fragment of an iron helmet with bronze binding on the edge (possibly parts of the neck-guard, the cheek-guards, the helmet bowl and the crest).
Some six fragments may have come from the front of the crest. There is evidence that the crest was filled with gypsum into which plumes of horse-hair would have been fixed permanently.
Two more large fragments fitted together to form a part of the left side of the helmet, with a cutaway for the ears and a series of small holes around the edge for securing the helmet lining.
Decorative patches or emblems are visible under X-ray but not visible light and are therefore probably also made of iron.
These helmet bowl fragments were accompanied by two small fragments from the left cheek piece of the type normally found with this variety of helmet. Both pieces have rivet holes for the attachment of lining material.
There is a difference here from other late pattern crested helmets in that it has its lower edge at a higher level in front of the ear and rising upwards at a slight angle. This is more usually found on earlier helmets and suggests that this may be a helmet from the 2nd CAD that has been modified by having the neck guard cut off and replaced by a separate one.
The pieces of the neck guard show that it was bent at an angle and bound around the edges with copper alloy strip.
References:
Henderson, A.M. (1949), "Small objects in meta, bone, glass, etc." in Busche-Fox, J.P., 4th Report on the Excavations at the Roman Fort at Richborough, Kent. Reports Research Comm. Soc. Ant. of London 16 (Oxford)
Robinson, H.R. (1979), "What the soldiers wore on Hadrian's Wall", (Newcastle-upon-Tyne)
Lyne, M. (1994), "Late Roman Helmet Fragments from Richborough", J.R.M.E.S., 5, 97ff.
Vogt, M. (2006), "Spangenhelme", Kataloge Vor- und Frühgeschichtliche Altentümer, Band 39, p.294-5.
