Subject: heavy cavalry
Culture: Tibetan
Setting: Tibetan empire 618-841
Object: helmet
* Metropolitan Museum of Art > Stone Gallery of Arms and Armor
"Eight-Plate Helmet
Possibly Tibetan,
8th-10th century
Iron and copper alloy ...
A forerunner of the classic Tibetan eight-plate style, this helmet appears to be the earliest extant helmet, and possibly the earliest piece of metal armor, with clearly distinguishable Tibetan characteristics. It includes a unique combination of features found on various forms of segmented helmets with riveted construction in use across Eurasia from about the fourth century onward. Features specific to later Tibetan helmets are the basic eight-plate construction, the subtly cusped edges of the outer plates of the helmet bowl, and the distinctively TIbetan form of the plume finial." ...
