Neo-Assyrian helmet
- Gallery: Room 55
- Culture: Neo-Assyrian
- Date: 800BC-700BC
- Object type: helmet
- Materials: iron; copper alloy
- Museum number: 22496
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
Before you is a Neo-Assyrian helmet dating to 800–700 BC. Shaped like a tall cone with a pointed top, it was made by hammering a single piece of iron—an impressive feat of ancient craftsmanship. The surface is inlaid with bronze, creating bold, parallel lines around the base. Above these lines, a decorative band shows a procession of officials that wraps all the way around the helmet. At the front, a scene features a king, his crown prince, and an attendant, framed by floral motifs.
Though small holes suggest it once had a lining, the original purpose remains clear—it's a military helmet. Found in the North West Palace at Nimrud, it represents a form commonly depicted in Assyrian art, though this is an actual surviving example. Bronze inlay, worn here as decoration, is also seen in contemporary reliefs and paintings in places like Til-Barsip and Zincirli. A masterpiece of iron and bronze, this piece reveals both the power and artistry of Neo-Assyrian craftsmanship.
See it in person
Neo-Assyrian helmet is on display in Room 55 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and take a photo of it to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
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