The Ribchester Helmet
- Gallery: Room 49
- Culture: Romano-British
- Date: 1stC(late)-2ndC(early)
- Object type: helmet
- Materials: copper alloy
- Museum number: 1814,0705.1
- 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.
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About this object
Before you is "The Ribchester Helmet," a striking example of Romano-British craftsmanship. This copper alloy cavalry helmet features a face-mask visor and is decorated with an embossed scene depicting a skirmish between infantry and cavalry. The intricate design was likely used in elaborate cavalry sports events that combined horsemanship and mock battles.
The helmet is part of the Ribchester Hoard, discovered in 1796 in Lancashire by a clogmaker's son. It dates from the late first or early second century AD and once belonged to an elite cavalry trooper. The remains of a crest-box and streamers suggest this was an ornate piece of equipment meant for display as well as function.
Notable are the inscriptions in Latin, punched in tiny dots across metal surfaces. These graffiti-like annotations give the object a personal, almost human touch, hinting at its use and meaning to its original owner. The piece is as remarkable for its historical background as for its artistic and military significance.
See it in person
The Ribchester Helmet is on display in Room 49 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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