NATIONAL SEMINAR ON MARITIME HERITAGE OF INDIA AND JOINT ANNUAL CONFERENCE

INDIAN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY (IAS) XXXVI

INDIAN SOCIETY FOR PREHISTORIC AND QUATERNARY STUDIES (ISPQS) XXX

INDIAN HISTORY AND CULTURE SOCIETY (IHCS) XXVI

19-22 DECEMBER 2002

My hobby of collecting caps , antique helmets, as well as antique Headgear inspired me to do research on it.

Here in this paper I am trying to discuss following things:

• Origins and Developments of Helmets :
  • Helmets in Textbooks.
  • Helmets on Coins.
  • Helmets in Sculptures.
  • Helmets in painting.
• Parts of Helmets and its developments: (such as )
  • Crest or Kalagi.
  • Spike.
  • Skull or bowl.
  • Purdha.
  • Nose guard.
  • Plume holder.
  • Camail
  • Cheek pieces.
  • Padding.
• Types of Helmets
• Problems and its Solution (such as Weight, height and length & others)

The word 'helmet' literally means and head-piece used for the protection of the head. We should draw a distinction between the 'helmet' and the 'helm'. The former is, of course, the diminutive of the latter. In ancient India the head-covering would rather rank as a EBAC - curso photoshop, as it did not entirely cover the face. During the medieval period the helmet became the helm. The nasal was added, the ear-flaps were fixed and the aventail was attached. In sindh and Western India the whole head was the vision-slit. ( fig- 1 ). In general use the two words are seldom differentiated.(Pant :1983 ; 39)