"Gjermundbu helmet for 10th Century Vikings?" Topic

OK, so I'm probably a bit more fussy than some others out there regarding historical accuracy for my upcoming Viking force – which I want to to be representative of the late 10th early 11th Century. So – is the Gjermundbu 'spectacle' helm accurate for this period? I can find attributions to 970 but does this mean that it was buried around this time and dates from an earlier period, or that it was made around this time?

Yes it would fit with 10th to early 11th century Vikings., though it is likely the majority would have plainer conical or round helmets made of two to six plates.nTwo pkate helmets would have a central ridge. Many or most would have nasals.
There is also the possibility that the wide hanging steel hat referrred to may be around in this period and be like a later kettle hat.

The Gjermundbu helmet is as accurate as you are going to get, because it is the only whole Viking Age helmet known. Parts of helmets found in Denmark have brow ridges, so the earlier Sutton Hoo and Coppergate helmets may provide archetypes for Viking Age helmets. Beyond this, you are stuck with probability and speculation. I would suggest looking at what was in use in Frankia and England at this time for ideas. This would mean the types of helmets Lewisgunner has suggested, although I am stuck for a references/contemporary parallel to the 'wide hanging steel hat' he references. That said, I am not near my books at the moment so cannot check.

Hi Dr B I think Heath's Armies of the Dark Ages has the term about the possible kettle hat. Of course it could be a backwards insertion from the 13th century, but Tabletop Games (Now Isarus) used to make a 15mm fig with axe and wide hat.

Ah, ok, I'll check that again. My first thought was that it might be a saga reference describing contemporary technology. Now that you mention it, I have that figure in my collection.