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Rare Roman Helmet and Face Mask find

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Very interesting article about the find of a very rare Roman helmet-and-face mask:

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/8000018/Rare-Roman-helmet-and-face-mask-discovered.html

 

"The helmet, with its enigmatic and virtually intact features, would have been worn, possibly with colourful streamers attached to the object, as a mark of excellence by Roman soldiers at cavalry sport parades...............

 

Excellent photos as well!

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Beautiful ceremonial face mask! I don't understand

why it's going to auction, perhaps to disappear from public eyes forever. This piece should be in a museum in the UK.

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Beautiful ceremonial face mask! I don't understand

why it's going to auction, perhaps to disappear from public eyes forever. This piece should be in a museum in the UK.

 

I suspect the fact that it is made from base metal (I believe bronze) may have something to do with it. If it is then irrespective of the artistic and historic value it is not covered by the 'Treasure Act' so there is not much that can be done about stopping the sale.

 

If it does go to a foreign buyer then there may be scope for a temporarary stop order on the export while a British Museum attempts to match the purchase price but with the current Government intent on not spending any money at all I wouldn't hold my breath for this kind of Government support. :(

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But why would this helmet be found in a field? Did some ancient steal it and bury it? Was it ceremoniously buried? was in a grave? I really can't wrap my head around (no pun intended) how artifacts of this nature just "appear" in the middle of nowhere.

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But why would this helmet be found in a field? Did some ancient steal it and bury it? Was it ceremoniously buried? was in a grave? I really can't wrap my head around (no pun intended) how artifacts of this nature just "appear" in the middle of nowhere.

Indeed. An object out of context loses much of it's relevance.

They did not even give an estimate dating but an estimate price!

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But why would this helmet be found in a field? Did some ancient steal it and bury it? Was it ceremoniously buried? was in a grave? I really can't wrap my head around (no pun intended) how artifacts of this nature just "appear" in the middle of nowhere.

 

There appears to be little information about the circumstances of this find. From what I can glean, it was found and taken from the ground by a metal detectorist. It was not excavated professionally so much information may have already been lost although I believe that there has now been a preliminary assessment of the field with a view to a fuller assessment later and an investigation of some previously undated nearby earthworks.

 

In addition, the mask was found in 67 pieces and was professionally restored by conservators at Christies Auction House. However:

 

 

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As to why it could have been buried in a field, well, why not? Coin and silver hoards are often found in places that appear to be in the middle of nowhere but they may once have well been somewhere! A landscape can change dramatically over 2000 years. Objects are often buried for safekeeping in times of troubles or perhaps as a ceremonial or burial deposit. A good illustration may be the burial of a coin hoard in times of warfare. The person burying the hoard may have put hidden it say near the third oak tree to the north of a wooden bridge with a view to collecting it after the danger has passed. For whatever reason, the hoard is not collected, the bridge collapses over the years, the trees die, the land is put to pasture, and the landscape has changed beyond recognition. The hoard is found 2000 years later seemingly in the middle of nowhere!

 

Very good points, makes sense to me.

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Apparently irrespective of the damage down by Chiristies restorers to the arcaheological value of this object Tullie House Museum in Carlisle would really like it for their new Roman Frontier Gallery and have launched an appeal for support in its purchase.

 

Details are in the News and Star article along with a link to the appeal form

 

Carlisle museum launches public appeal to buy Crosby Garrett Roman helmet......

While it was immediately apparent that the helmet, which was in around 30 pieces, was a discovery of utmost importance, quite how thrilling a find it was for Roman historians and archaeologists was still to be revealed.

 

This week, however, after auction house Christie

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For those of you who have access to the publication British Archaeology, there is a superb, full page picture of the helmet in the Nov/Dec issue. The detail is superb!

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The BBC report that apparently the helmet sold for

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I agree completely, Stella.

Edited by Ludovicus

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