Шлем или шапка? О находках серебряных конусовидных наверший головных уборов в археологических памятниках X—XIV вв.
Helmet or Hat? On the Finds of Silver Cone-Shaped Tops of Headdresses in Archaeological Sites of the 10th—14th Centuries

Summary/Abstract: One of the interesting details characteristic of the male multi-ethnic retinue culture of the 10th century are cone-shaped silver tops of headdresses. There are four specimens found on the sites of the North European, Hungarian, ancient Russian cultural circle. All of them come from the rich male graves of the 10th century, where they are combined with weapons (swords, sabers, spears, axes, scramasaxes) and horse and rider equipment. Presumably, they could decorate soft male helmets or round hats with a pointed top.As the closest analogy, we can point to silver cone-shaped top of headdress from a rich female burial dated by the 14th century and found in the Belorechensky Kurgans in the Caucasus region. It should be noted that the pointed helmet headdresses were represented in this region in male and female costumes, and earlier, in the 14th century, they were typical for female clothing and were accompanied, in some cases, by metal tops. Thus, in the period when men’s fashion in the Caucasus region is reoriented to a new oriental influence — orbelge hats, skullcaps, the shape of helmet-like headgear is preserved in female costume, with a specific addition of a crescent at its top, as if to emphasize that this was a female dress.

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