Casque
Unknown Artist
17th – 18th century
Medium
Steel
Dimensions
H. including nape defense 10 in. (25.4 cm); H. excluding nape defense 6 in. (15.2 cm); Diam. 7 3/8 in. (18.7 cm); Wt. 1 lb. 10 oz. (737.1 g)
Classification
Helmets
Culture
Indian, North Indian
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bashford Dean Memorial Collection, Funds from various donors, 1929
Accession Number
29.158.50
Art Historical Context
This finely crafted steel casque, originating from North India in the 17th–18th, exemplifies the masterful metalworking traditions of the region's warrior cultures. Measuring about 10 inches high (including its nape defense) with a7⅜-inch diameter and weighing just 1 lb. 10 oz., it was designed for agility on the battlefield, offering crucial head protection without sacrificing mobility. As part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Arms Armor Department, it hails from the Bashford Dean Memorial Collection, acquired through generous donors in 1929. In the turbulent era of Mughal expansion and R...