Helmet
Unknown Artist
1600s
Medium
steel with gold and brass
Dimensions
h. 9.6 cm · diam. 20.7 cm
Classification
Arms and Armor
Department
Indian and Southeast Asian Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance
Accession Number
1919.62
About this artwork
Mughal soldiers wore hemispherical steel helmets to battle. This helmet’s surface features decorative floral patterns created using a process called damascening, in which gold wire was hammered into steel grooves. A leaf-shaped guard slides down in front of the nose for protection. The short tubes on either side of the nasal guard were for holding plumes, most popularly black heron feathers or white aigrettes. The spike that would have been on the apex has broken off. Also missing is the stuffed...