Witcham Gravel Helmet, Roman Auxiliary Cavalry Helmet, Steel, with Crest

This handsome Roman helmet is a reproduction of a late 1st c. find (approx. 50-75 AD) unearthed around 1870 by peat cutters near Witcham Gravel, Cambridgeshire, England, and now on display at the British Museum in London.

The largely preserved original, classified as a Roman auxiliary cavalry type B helmet, consisted of an iron core (now almost entirely corroded away) with partially outer bronze casing (copper allow, tinned). Marks on the top of the bowl indicate that it was originally fitted with a crest. Although showing some of the typical features of an Imperial Gallic helmet (sloping neck guard, cheek pieces with decorative circular bosses/rosettes), this artefact is the only surviving example of the Type B helmet. Its uniqueness lies in the presence of large, hollow bronze bosses adorning the neck guard and the bowl. In England, the distinctive shape of these bosses earned this very unusual piece the nickname of bicycle bell helmet.

This reconstruction of the Witcham Gravel auxiliary cavalry helmet with hinged cheek guards is crafted from 1.2 mm (18 gauge) steel and richly adorned with brass fittings. As the interior is unlined, we recommend the use of an additional padded cap to make it fully wearable. Small rings are fitted on the inner side of the cheek plates for easy attachment of a chin strap (not included). The yellow crista, which is based on a reference found in Ars Tactica by ancient Greek historian Arrian, has a wooden base painted in red and is equipped with 3 screws for proper attachment to the helmet's (pre-drilled) bowl.

Details:
- Material: 1.2 mm steel, brass fittings, horsehair plume with wooden crest box
- Suitable for head circumference up to approx. 63 cm
- Long distance (back to front): approx. 23 cm
- Short distance (ear to ear): approx. 19 cm
- Weight (helmet only): approx. 3 kg
- Weight with crest: approx. 3.4 kg