The Shorwell helmet is an Anglo-Saxon helmet from the early to mid-sixth century AD. It is one of only six known Anglo- Saxon helmets, alongside those from Benty Grange, Sutton Hoo, Coppergate, Wollaston, and Staffordshire. It remains in the British Museum’s collection, but as of 2019 is not on display.
About Shorwell helmet in brief
The Shorwell helmet is an Anglo-Saxon helmet from the early to mid-sixth century AD. It was one of the grave goods of a high-status warrior. The helmet was constructed from eight pieces of iron riveted together. Three copper alloy rivets are found on the dexter side of the brow band, surrounded by what may be skin product. A lining is possibly indicated by traces of skin product on the interior. It is one of only six known Anglo- Saxon helmets, alongside those from Benty Grange, Sutton Hoo, Coppergate, Wollaston, and Staffordshire. It remains in the British Museum’s collection, but as of 2019 is not on display. The exact purpose of the skin lining is uncertain, and part of it may have been used in relation to a cheek guard. Leather linings also suggested for some AngloSaxon helmets could also explain some of the traces of the Late Roman and Roman era. It represents a different tradition; the Bentygrange helmet is considered to be the best example of a different style of helmet. The Shor well helmet is dated to approximately 500–550 AD, based on comparisons with comparisons with similar helmets from Sutton Hoo and Coppergate. Its only decorative elements were paired with functional uses. The nose-to-nape and lateral bands featured thickened edges made by hammering the metal. These ridges may also have been intended to serve as ‘stop-ribs’ preventing edged weapons such as swords from glancing downwards and striking the wearer on the shoulders or face.
It may have functioned to hold an attachment strap, or a cheekguard made of something like cuir bouilli. The British Museum has no plans to put the helmet on display in the near future, as it is too badly deteriorated to be of interest to the public at this time. It has been described as a ‘sturdily designed’ helmet with ‘very few decorative elements’ and ‘a utilitarian fighting helmet.’ It is the sole example to derive from the continental Frankish style rather than the contemporaneous Northern ‘crested helmets’ used in England and Scandinavia. The helmet’s plainness belies its significance, for helmets appear to have been limited to the higher classes. The recovery of only 6 helmets despite the excavation of thousands of graves suggests that their owners had some status. It was discovered by members of a metal detecting club in May 2004, and excavated by archaeologists that November. It had fragmented into around 400 pieces, perhaps in part because of subsoiling, and was originally identified as a “fragmentary iron vessel”. Only after it was acquired by the British museum and reconstructed was it identified as an iron helmet.
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This page is based on the article Shorwell helmet published in Wikipedia (as of Oct. 31, 2020) and was automatically summarized using artificial intelligence.
