Close-Helmet for the Tournament

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This helmet seems to have been designed for foot combat at the barriers, a sport in which pairs of contestants wearing armor only to the waist (hitting below the belt was forbidden) fought with pikes or swords over a separating wooden barrier. A brow reinforce was originally riveted to the visor. The long threaded bolt projecting from the upper bevor is a later working-life addition apparently intended to affix a reinforce (buffe) for mounted use in the tourney. The bowl and bevor retain their original linen-covered padded linings and shock-absorbing suspension straps between the bowl and the lining.

Arms and Armor

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The principal goals of the Arms and Armor Department are to collect, preserve, research, publish, and exhibit distinguished examples representing the art of the armorer, swordsmith, and gunmaker. Arms and armor have been a vital part of virtually all cultures for thousands of years, pivotal not only in conquest and defense, but also in court pageantry and ceremonial events. Throughout time the best armor and weapons have represented the highest artistic and technical capabilities of the society and period in which they were made, forming a unique aspect of both art history and material culture.

Metropolitan Museum of Art