Chalcidian Bronze Helmet with Cheek Guards

This helmet has a domed crown with a medial ridge, a contoured inverted ‘V’ shape above the brow that continues as an occipital rib around the helmet, pronounced arched brows, and a narrow flared neck guard. The hinges are connected to intact original cheek-guards with rich green patina. The domed crown has a medial ridge, with a contoured inverted ‘V’ shape above the brow, continuing as an occipital rib around the helmet, pronounced arched brows, and a narrow flared neck guard; the hinges remain connected to cheek-pieces originally attached. ‘Chalcidian’ helmets are so named as they resemble those depicted on pottery from the Euboean city of Chalcis. They were used throughout the Greek world as a lighter, less bulky version of the earlier ‘Corinthian’ helmet.

SIZE: H. 32.8 cm

CONDITION: Fine Condition

Classical Greek Period | 5th–4th Century B.C.E. (500–400 B.C.E.)

This helmet belongs to the later development phase of Greek bronze armor, a period marked by lighter, more agile battlefield equipment. The Chalcidian type was widely used by hoplites during the Classical era, when Greek city-states such as Athens, Sparta, Thebes, and the Euboean cities fought in both interstate conflicts and major campaigns against Persia. This was the age of Pericles, the building of the Parthenon, and the rise of professionalized Greek warfare. The Chalcidian helmet reflects the tactical evolution of this period—providing strong facial protection while allowing better vision and hearing than the earlier Corinthian models.

Bronze (Copper–Tin Alloy) with Rich Natural Patination
Crafted through hammered and cast bronze techniques, this helmet retains its original structural form and displays a characteristic green patina formed over more than 2,400 years of burial and aging. The metal’s surface shows the classic cuprous corrosion associated with ancient Greek bronze armor. The cheek guards feature decorative repoussé circles, and the hinges connecting them to the main crown are still visible—an extremely desirable survival feature for helmets of this type.

REFERENCE #. WP_GR_1009

Ex–Swiss Private Collection, acquired on the European art market in the late 20th century.
Held in a long-standing private collection in Zürich, with careful preservation in a controlled environment. Documented in collector records and reviewed by a specialist in Greek armor in the early 2000s. Entered the U.S. market with full accompanying documentation.