Gallery Title
Gallery Title
Afghan Helmet
Accession Number NWHRM : 1471.2
Description
Brass Afghan helmet (kulah khud) , dated around 1880, collected by the Regiment during the Second Afghan War. A peak protects the soldier's brow and it has a neckguard at the back. Decorative strips with a looped motif encircle the rim and peek. The top mount is a decoration resembling a bomb-burst with a spike which appears to increases the height of the soldier and deflects a direct downward blow. At each side is a finely modelled lion's head which would hold a loop for the chinstrap - missing in this example. The central front applied decoration is a lion's head.
Read MoreAfghan Helmet
This copies Euopean heavy cavalry helments worn throughout most of the 19th century and still used today with ceremonial dress, for example by the British Household Cavalry. Only a certain asymmetry suggests this is locally made rather than factory produced for a European army. This demonstrates the existence of regular trained units as well as local tribesmen facing the British Indian forces.
