ARCHAIC GREEK ILLYRIAN BRONZE HOPLITE HELMET

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Ancient, Chinese and Islamic Art

By Apollo Art Auctions

Mar 27, 2022

Set Reminder 2022-03-27 08:00:00 2022-03-27 08:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Ancient, Chinese and Islamic Art https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/apollo-art-auctions/ancient-chinese-and-islamic-art-8938
Apollo Galleries and Auctions is delighted to present a stunning March 2022 Ancient, Chinese and Islamic Art Auction. The sale is divided into four sections and features items from Christie’s, Bonham’s, Alison Barker, John Lee and other famous collections. Apollo Art Auctions enquiries@apolloauctions.com

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• Lot Description
  Circa 600 BC A finelly modelled helmet made of hammered bronze sheet, with a rectilinear opening for the face, long, pointed cheek pieces, horizontal ribbing on the forehead framing the upper facial opening, and twin parallel ridges on the crown, each flanked by a group of three later ribs in low relief, engraved band between. The back and sides flare out to guard the neck and has three perforations for attachment of leather liner. This example has a rich, blue-green patina and is a somewhat more impressive example of Type II, variant A, with a more pronounced dome-like form. The Roman historian Appian wrote that the Illyrian lived in the area south from the Macedonians and Thracians. Traditionally the Illyrians were farmers and miners, but during war time they were respected as seasoned soldiers, primarily for the infantry. For a discussion of Type II, variant A, see Angelo Bottini et. al. Antike Helme (Mainz, 1988) pp. 48-52, and ef. Figs. 7-8, p. 49. These helmets were particularly popular in northern Greece, in the province of Illyria, in the modern day Balkans. They were made for hoplites, the citizen-soldiers of the Greek city states, who often furnished their own bronze armor. As a result, regional styles developed, and there is a great deal of variation in shape and form. For similar examples to this helmet from the Metropolitan Museum of Art (1992.180.1, 2006.221, 2003.407.6) and the Louvre (CA 2221Or). See H. Pflug, 'Illyrische Helme', in A. Bottini et al. Antike Helme, Mainz, 1988, 55-9. The item has undergone X-ray fluorescence analysis to confirm the metallurgical content suggesting its ancient origin and lack of modern trace elements. For further reading see: A. M. Snodgrass, Early Greek Armour and Weapons. From the End of the Bronze Age to 600 B.C., Edinburgh, 1964. Size: L: 280mm / W: 200mm; 1.16kg Provenance: London private collection; formelry in a private New York, USA collection; formerly acquired from the German collection of Hans Hagmann in 1968/69.
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