This article is also available as a YouTube video at the link here.

As can be seen from the images, this article covers the helmet crest find from Nijmegen (or “Noviomagus”) in the Netherlands. Found in the province of Gelderland in the River Waal, this is a well-preserved example of the typical “fish fin” crest we see on other examples of the Intercisa type. Unlike the example moulded into the ridge of the Intercisa IV, the ridge of the Nijmegen example features slotted mounts for the fin-shaped crest to attach to. The crest is locked in by riveting a series of tabs over corresponding rectangular metal washers. We can see an example of the appropriate recess in the images below. 

As we can see from the side-view, the crest swells towards the front section, and may have included a Chi-Rho monogrammed plate as seen on other helmets of a similar type as suggested by two small rivet-holes towards the tip of the crest itself. The crest itself also displays signs of gilding, poorly-preserved on the right side due to corroded river sand (grey traces of which can be seen in the images). As is to be expected from a Late Roman period helmet, we can safely assume the gilding also covered the surface of the helmet bowl as well. Whilst this may not necessarily be the case, it is unlikely the bowl beneath would not have received the same treatment. 

As to why we believe this belongs to an Intercisa helmet, to put it simply we only have finds and tangible artwork of such crests attached to Intercisa-types. Whilst it is not impossible such a crest was designed to fit with a Berkasovo-type, it seems unlikely. As with the gilding, this is not a concrete answer but certainly fits the pattern we have seen so far both in finds and artistic representation. 

The overall look of the helmet will therefore have likely been similar to the image of a reconstructed Intercisa-type, courtesy of the Pustelak Brothers Art Workshop and the Vicus Ultimus re-enactment group, as seen in our Intercisa article. The decorative gilding on all other examples (with enough material surviving to appropriately judge them) suggests that all gilded helmets had some degree of decorative repousse work at least around the edges of the bowl and cheek-plates, held on likely with precious silver rivets. 

Is this a guarantee? Again, sadly not. Simply the most likely outcome based on the available evidence and the corroboration of other finds and artworks. 

The purpose of these crests is also something we will (perhaps eternally) be debating, and is an issue we will be covering in more detail in a later feature; there is an issue with crests in general in the late Roman period. Lack of clarity in artwork and the relative paucity of finds make it unclear as to the exact use of crests; were they to mark out officers, or perhaps soldiers of particular regiments? We cannot be sure. Debate continues to reign over the topic, with some citing the almost identical form of all the metal fish fin crests compared to the possibilities available with horsehair and feathers to suggest these fish-fin crests actually bore no particular significance, although the latter are most frequently depicted in scarlet-red rather than a variety of colours in relevant artworks, thus perhaps suggesting neither type bore the connotations we would perhaps expect. What we can discern is that the Nijmegen example indicates firstly that crests of the metal fin nature may have been quite common (based not only on their relatively frequent appearance in artwork, but also on the ratio of helmet finds with this type of crest or slots to insert such a crest on the helmet, as well as a rather impressive number of chi-rho plates found that are seemingly designed to fit them). It also shows us these crests were designed to be (at least in some cases) detachable and re-attachable. 

At the end of the day, we find ourselves with yet another rather speculative piece which goes some way to helping further our understanding of how Late Roman helmets were both constructed and to a certain extent issued, and could hopefully inspire more crested ridge helmet impressions in the Noviomagus area. 

The images of the finds are courtesy of Dr. Christian Miks.