Page 40 - All About History - Issue 27-15

Through

HELMETS

Whether for sport, war or work, helmets

and headgear have been imperative for the
protection of the human bonce for centurie

PICKELHAUBE 1842 COOLUS HELMET 2
One of the most iconic helmets of all time, the Alongside the Montefortino hel
Pickelhaube was made from a combination of the helmet of choice for Roman
brass plates and black lacquered leather with Coolus was made out of metal
a striking spike on top. Throughout with face and neck coverage to
its lifespan it was con ws from any direc
and reached its zenit 7.5 centimetre (3 i
before being slowly p legionaryfrombr
the new Stahlhelm, w me, helmets were
Germany well into th ould be adorned, e
The Stahlhelm was a with feathers and
in greater numbers o en on parade.
Western Front, but it As weapons on the Medieval The empire’s skilled
armourers made the
Pickelhaube that evo battlefield got deadlier, helmets Coolus out of sheets of
the memory of Germ had to improve in strength to iron or brass, ready to be
protect knights
in World War I. used on the frontline
Although perceived as
quintessentially German, the
Pickelhaube was actually Space Adaptation Sickness
used by the US Army in the is common in half of all
late-19th century human beings, so astronaut
helmets require cleaning on
King a regular basis
Frederick
William IV of
Prussia
1795-1861, PRUSSIAN
The king of his country for 21 years, 12TH CENTURY
Frederick did not have the respect of his There were countless types of Medieval helmets used by the
people and was nearly disposed of in the
revolution of 1848. Despite his erratic knights of the realm. Early designs favoured by the likes of the
leadership, the king was intelligent and Normans had an open conical top, but a knight’s helmet really
had a talent for invention, hence came into its own with the advent of closed helms. Visors were
his role in the development
of the Pickelhaube. now on hinges, so the wearer could have it open with a full field
of vision but also closed to be protected in the heat of battle.
Wealthier knights decorated their helms with artwork and
KABUTO 15TH CENTURY encrusted them with jewels to show their rank and coat of arms.
Coming in many different shapes and ASTRONAUT HELMET 1958
sizes, the kabuto symbolised Japanese
Since the Mercury spacesuit in 1958, the
warfare and the iconic image of the
A bowl-like shape, the helmetswornbyastronautsandcosmonauts
samurai. A protective helmet as well kabuto’s 52 ridged have been constantly improved and developed
as an artistic expression, kabutos plates protect the
owner’s head as the wearer needs to be protected from
were custom made and demonstrated
micrometeoroidsandsolarultravioletand
Japanese skill in metallurgy. In later
infrared radiation. The helmets worn on
models, mengu armour would protect
theApollomissionsweremadeoutof
the face along with a steel-plated neck
strengthened polycarbonate and were attached
guard, which was invaluable in defend
to the suit by a pressure-sealing neck ring.
against katana slashes. The helmet is k
More up-to-date versions include microphones,
in place by a silken rope tie securing t
cameras, feed ports for astronauts on a space
kabuto to the head. It continues to act
walk and other gizmos.
a talisman in the Land of the Rising S
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