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A.E. Negin, M.S. Shestakova (Nizhny Novgorod) – Non-Destructive Research of the 12th– 13th cc. Helmet from Gorodets

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Abstract

The paper discusses the results of non-invasive studies of a medieval helmet from Gorodets in the collection of the Gorodets Historical and Art Museum Complex (inv. No. GRM 3397). The helmet belongs to the so-called “steep-sided” helmets of type IV, according to the classifi cation of A.N. Kirpichnikov, traditionally dating to the 12th–13th cc. The silver-plated surface of the helmet partially preserves the remains of gilded images, but some areas are still covered with a thick layer of reinforced corrosion products that were not removed during restoration work. The half-mask of the helmet is fragmented at the bottom (the nasal is broken off ), and the crown is also signifi cantly damaged. In order to examine the condition of the helmet surface, identify its design features and clarify the surviving elements of decorative ornamentation, the authors of the article photographed it in macro mode, which made it possible to clarify the remains of images on the surface of the crown. Digital photography in infrared and ultraviolet light and radiography in several projections were carried out. The data obtained allow us to assess the correctness of the restoration and conservation of the helmet, as well as the degree of its current condition.

Keywords

Helmet, armor, Old Russia, Golden Horde, natural science methods in archaeology, UV fl uorescence, radiography, macrophotography.

Andrey E. Negin, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Maria S. Shestakova, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia

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