Historical Artifacts

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Just a community for everyone to share artifacts, reconstructions, or replicas for the historically-inclined to admire!

Generally, an artifact should be 100+ years old, but this is a flexible requirement if you find something rare and suitably linked to an era of history, not a strict rule. Anything over 100 is fair game regardless of rarity.

Generally speaking, ruins should go to [email protected]

Illustrations of the past should go to [email protected]

Photos of the past should go to [email protected]

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PugJesus

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Well-preserved Roman infantry helmet with mouse motifs on the back, 2nd century AD (lemmy.world)

submitted 1 month ago by PugJesus to c/historyartifacts

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 month ago (1 children)

What's the arched piece of metal over the forehead for? I thought that armor intended for combat use generally didn't have things on it that would be easy for an opponent to grab.

[–] PugJesus 17 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Helmet ridges were popular in certain regions and eras of the Empire to deflect downward-striking blows - the popularity of the ridge waxed and waned as it was needed. When the Romans encountered the Dacians with their long, curved-blade falx, ridged helmets became very popular, as a downward strike with the falx could glance off of one's helmet... and smoothly slide down to gouge out a poor legionary's eye, or poke into his soft, squishy brain. The ridge there causes a blow to lose momentum, or deflect outward, rather than letting it slide inwards towards the unprotected face.