Have you heard the story about two guys from Macedonia who dug up an incomprehensible ancient jug and sold it to a tourist from Germany for pennies? The jug turned out to be an old helmet and a tourist from Germany became a millionaire overnight. The moral is simple – you need to know the find in person! And be able to determine.
But we won’t only talk about price; first of all, any helmet from that period is a work of art and has no price. Indeed, it does not. And all because you are unlikely to find a second one like this, and few can boast that they found such a helmet with a metal detector, but there were different stories and the percentage of lucky ones who snatched a lucky ticket from fortune is very small, equal to winning in a regular lottery . One chance in ten million or one chance in a billion – what difference does it make, the chance is very small in both cases!
As Wikipedia says, the Thracian helmet is the most vague type of helmet. It is called everything that cannot be classified according to known types of helmets, and this is not surprising, because this is a unique helmet, custom-made at that time. Why not? There have always been rich people, but where could they spend their money? There were no expensive cars yet, women were taken captive without money, palaces and fortresses were built to last. They also had to dress uniquely and unusually in order to impress all the people around with their appearance, and they already understood who was in charge here, the leader, the boss, the leader and the ruler.
In the photo below is the ceremonial cavalry helmet of a Thracian aristocrat from the era of Roman rule, 1-2 century AD. The helmet is richly decorated with scenes based on the Trojan War and mythology, showing the Gods Zeus, Eros, the hero Hercules, and the dog Hermes.
Ceremonial helmet of a Roman aristocrat, 1st-2nd century AD.
Found during excavations in 2013 near the village of Brestovitsa, Plovdiv region, Bulgaria. The helmet was valued at approximately 2 million euros .
Another equally beautiful helmet:
A real work of art!
Thrace. Roman period. The helmet is made of iron and silver (1st century AD), found in the town of Augusta Traiana (modern Stara Zagora). Collection of the Archaeological Museum of Stara Zagora, Bulgaria.
Thrace, Roman period. Bronze helmet, found in the village of Kalenik, Lovech region. From the collection of the Regional Museum of History of Lovech, Bulgaria.
Thrace. Roman period. Bronze mask found in 1968 near Durostorum (modern Silistra). Collection of the Museum of History of the City of Silistra.
And this is the back of a helmet found near the city of Silistra in 1968.
Real works of art! And there are still many of them stored in the ground, and in the storerooms of museums. Somehow I will continue this interesting tradition of posting such gorgeous finds, at least to improve education, what if you find one like this and think it’s a jug? Yes, sell it for pennies, and it will turn out to be an expensive and interesting helmet for history!
No worries, friends!