Siege Helmet

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Siege engineers, sappers, and bombardiers regularly came under fire at close range and thus were equipped with extraordinarily heavy shot-proof armor. The bowl and cheeks of this example are protected by a double thickness of plates. The right side of the bowl has a proofmark––the dent caused by a bullet fired at a prescribed distance as proof of the armor plate's strength––but the shot did not penetrate the sturdy reinforce to the bowl below.

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