View source for Helmet

{{Short description|Protective headwear}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
[[File:A Wide Variety Of Helmets.png|thumb|upright=1.5|alt=A table with ten different types of helmets|Ten different types of helmets with different design, materials, amount of head coverage, and accessories to provide maximum protection for specific use cases]]A '''helmet''' is a form of [[protective gear]] worn to protect the [[Human head|head]]. More specifically, a helmet complements the [[skull]] in protecting the human [[brain]]. Ceremonial or symbolic helmets (e.g., a [[Custodian helmet|policeman's helmet]] in the [[United Kingdom]]) without protective function are sometimes worn. Soldiers wear [[combat helmet]]s, often made from [[Kevlar]] or other lightweight [[synthetic fiber]]s.

The word ''helmet'' is derived from ''helm'', an [[Old English]] word for a protective head covering.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.etymonline.com/word/helmet|title=helmet (n.)|publisher=etymonline.com}}</ref>

Helmets are used for numerous sports (e.g., [[jockey]]s, [[football helmet|American football]], [[Hockey helmet|ice hockey]], [[Cricket helmet|cricket]], [[Batting helmet|baseball]], [[skiing]], [[hurling]] and [[rock climbing]]); dangerous work activities such as [[construction]], [[mining]], [[riot police]], [[military aviation]], and in transportation (e.g. [[motorcycle helmet]]s and [[bicycle helmet]]s). Since the 1990s, most helmets are made from [[resin]] or [[plastic]], which may be reinforced with fibers such as [[aramid]]s.

==Designs==
[[File:Tour du Doubs 2014 - Pontarlier - Jérémy Leveau.jpg|thumb|The French cyclist [[Jérémy Leveau]] wearing a [[bicycle helmet]] ]]Some British [[gamekeeper]]s during the 18th and 19th centuries wore helmets made of [[straw]] bound together with cut [[bramble]].<ref name=TLA>{{cite book |last=Hopkins |first=Harry |year=1985 |title=The Long Affray |location=London |publisher=[[Secker & Warburg]] |isbn=0-436-20102-X}}</ref> Europeans in the tropics often wore the pith helmet, developed in the mid-19th century and made of [[pith]] or [[cork (material)|cork]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Pith Helmet {{!}} Perspectives on History {{!}} AHA |url=https://www.historians.org/publications-and-directories/perspectives-on-history/october-2020/the-pith-helmet |website=Historians.org}}</ref>

Military applications in the 19th–20th centuries saw a number of [[leather]] helmets, particularly among aviators and [[tank]] crews in the early 20th century. In the early days of the [[automobile]], some motorists also adopted this style of headgear, and early [[football helmet]]s were also made of leather. In [[World War II]], American, Soviet, German, Italian and French flight crews wore leather helmets, the German pilots disguising theirs under a beret before disposing of both and switching to cloth caps.{{when|date=April 2013}} The era of the First and Second World Wars also saw a resurgence of metal military helmets, most notably the [[Brodie helmet]] and the [[Stahlhelm]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Why were WWII helmet designs so different by country & which design was the most effective? |url=https://www.warhistoryonline.com/instant-articles/why-were-wwii-helmet-designs.html|website=War History Online|date=5 January 2019 }}</ref>

Modern helmets have a much wider range of applications, including helmets adapted to the specific needs of many athletic pursuits and work environments, and these helmets very often incorporate plastics and other synthetic materials for their light weight and shock absorption capabilities. Some types of synthetic fibers used to make helmets in the 21st century include [[aramid]] fibers, such as [[Kevlar]] and [[Twaron]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Materials of Motorcycle Helmets|url=https://thedrivebook.com/most-common-materials-of-motorcycle-helmets/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=}}</ref> Race car helmets include a head and neck support system that keeps the helmet (and head) attached to the body in severe collisions.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Lance |first1=Rachel |author-link=Rachel Lance |date=6 December 2020 |title=A Race Car Crash from Hell—and the Science That Saved Its Driver |url=https://www.wired.com/story/crash-science-romaine-grosjean |access-date=7 December 2020 |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]}}</ref>

==Helmet types==<!-- Helmet (disambiguation) links to this section. -->
[[File:Knight-in-Shining-Armour.jpg|thumb|left|upright|A [[Historical reenactment|reenactor]] wearing a [[sallet]]]]

Helmets of many different types have developed over time. Most early helmets had military uses, though some may have had more ceremonial than combat applications.

Two important helmet types to develop in antiquity were the [[Corinthian helmet]] and the Roman [[Galea (helmet)|galea]].

During the [[Middle Ages]], many different [[combat helmet|military helmets]] and some ceremonial helmets were developed, almost all being metal. Some of the more important medieval developments included the [[great helm]], the [[bascinet]], the [[frog-mouth helm]], and the [[armet]].

The great seal of [[Owain Glyndŵr]] (c. 1359 – c. 1415) depicts the prince of [[Wales]] and his stallion wearing full [[armour]], they both wear protective headgear with Owain's gold [[dragon]] mounted on top.<ref>{{citation |title= Great Seal of Owain Glyndŵr |url=http://www.gutorglyn.net/gutoswales/llun.php?src=diddordeb_sel_og.jpg&teitl=Great+Seal+of+Owain+Glynd%C5%B5r+&testun=The+reverse+of+the+Great+Seal+of+Owain+Glynd%C5%B5r |work=Guto's Wales}}</ref> This would have been impractical in battle, so therefore these would have been ceremonial.

In the 19th century, more materials were incorporated, namely leather, felt and [[pith]]. The [[pith helmet]] and the leather [[pickelhaube]] were important 19th century developments. The greatest expansion in the variety of forms and composition of helmets, however, took place in the 20th century, with the development of highly specialized helmets for a multitude of athletic and professional applications, as well as the advent of modern plastics. During [[World War I]], the French army developed the [[Adrian helmet]], the British developed the [[Brodie helmet]], and the Germans produced the [[Stahlhelm]].

[[File:MotoX Helmet.jpg|thumb|A [[motocross]] helmet with [[goggles]] and elongated chin bar]]

The development of [[hard hat]]s for workplace safety may have been inspired by the helmets of WWI, and they have become a standard type of safety equipment on many construction job sites and industrial locations.

[[Flight helmet]]s were also developed throughout the 20th century. A multitude of athletic helmets, including [[football helmet]]s, [[batting helmet]]s, [[hockey helmet]]s, [[cricket helmet]]s, [[bicycle helmet]]s, [[ski helmet]]s, [[motorcycle helmet]]s and [[racing helmet]]s, were also developed in the 20th century.

Helmets since the mid-20th century have often incorporated lightweight plastics and other synthetic materials, and their use has become highly specialized. Some important recent developments include the French [[SPECTRA helmet]], Spanish MARTE helmet or the American [[Personnel Armor System for Ground Troops|PASGT]] (commonly called "Kevlar" by U.S. troops) and [[Advanced Combat Helmet]], or ACH.

In the early 21st century, the Catalan sport/tradition of [[castell]]s saw the introduction of helmets for the children who make up the ''pom de dalt'' or top three levels of a castell. The helmets were specially designed with a soft outer surface, to protect the child while mitigating the risk that the helmet could injure others during a fall.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Marín |first1=Anna |title=Deu anys del casc casteller |url=https://www.ara.cat/castells/deu-anys-del-casc-casteller_1_1567586.html |access-date=27 July 2025 |work=Ara.cat |date=29 July 2016 |language=ca}}</ref>

==Heraldry==<!-- This section is linked from [[Coat of arms of Canada]] -->
{{main|Helmet (heraldry)}}
{{COA elements}}
As the [[coat of arms]] was originally designed to distinguish [[nobility|noble]] combatants on the battlefield or in a [[tournament (medieval)|tournament]], even while covered in [[armour]], it is not surprising that [[heraldry|heraldic]] elements constantly incorporated the shield and the helmet, these often being the most visible parts of a [[knight]]'s military equipment.

The practice of indicating [[peerage]] through the display of barred or grilled helmets first appeared around 1587-1615,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Fox-Davies |first1=Arthur Charles |last2=Johnston |first2=Graham |year=2004 |orig-year=1909 |author-link=Arthur Charles Fox-Davies |title=A Complete Guide to Heraldry |publisher=Kessinger Publishing |location=Whitefish, MT |isbn=1-4179-0630-8}} P. 319.</ref> and the heraldic convention of displaying helmets of rank in the United Kingdom, which came into vogue around [[House of Stuart|Stuart]] times, is as follows:<ref>Fox-Davies, P. 303.</ref>
* Sovereign: a gold barred-face (tournament) helm placed affronté
* Peer's helmet: silver barred-face (tournament) helm placed in profile
* Knight's or baronet's helmet: steel helm (earlier [[frog-mouth helm|jousting helm]], later [[close helm]]) placed affronté with visor open
* Esquire's helmet: steel helm placed in profile with visor closed

Earlier [[roll of arms|rolls of arms]] reveal, however, that early heraldic helmets were depicted in a manner faithful to the styles in actual military or [[Tournament (medieval)|tournament]] use at the time.<ref>Fox-Davies, P. 316.</ref>
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==Gallery==
<!-- THIS IS A SMALL SAMPLING OF REPRESENTATIVE FORMS, NOT AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST. PLEASE SEEK CONSENSUS ON THE TALK PAGE BEFORE ADDING MORE EXAMPLES TO IT. -->
<gallery mode="packed" caption="Combat helmets">
File:Cretan Helmet.jpg|[[Boar's tusk helmet|Boar tusk]] [[Minoans|Minoan]] helmet, 1600–1500 BCE
File:Boars's tusk helmet NAMA6568 Athens Greece1.jpg|Boar tusk [[Mycenaeans|Mycenaean]] helmet, 14th century BCE
File:Taranto (forse), elmo di tipo corinzio aracico, 650 ac ca..JPG|[[Corinthian helmet]] with detachable horns, circa 650 BCE
File:Corinthian helmet Denda Staatliche Antikensammlungen 4330.jpg|[[Corinthian helmet]], 500 BCE
File:Greek - Chalcidian-Type Helmet - Walters 542468.jpg|Greek [[Chalcidian helmet]], 500 BCE
File:Bronze helmet of conical shape MET DP21094.jpg|Greek [[Pileus (hat)|pilos]] helmet, 450–425 BCE
File:Boeotian helmet.jpg|[[Boeotian helmet]], 4th century BCE
File:Illyrian-Greek helmet from Montenegro - Budva -4th cBC.png|Greek [[Illyrian type helmet]], 4th century BCE
File:Pletena helmet.jpg|[[Thracian helmet]], 4th century BCE
File:Parade helmet.jpg|Celtic (Gallic) parade helmet, 350 BCE
File:Ancient bronze greek helmet -South Italy.jpg|[[Attic helmet]], 350 BCE to 300 BCE
File:Phrygian helmet.jpg|Greek bronze [[Phrygian helmet]], 350 BCE to 300 BCE
File:Roman helmet.jpg|Roman cavalry helmet, 1st century CE
File:The Nijmegen cavalry helmet, an iron mask sheathed in bronze and silver discovered in 1915 on the left bank of the Waal river near Nijmegen, second half of the first century, Museum het Valkhof, Nijmegen (Netherlands) (9569871602).jpg|Roman cavalry helmet
File:The black helmet of a Mongolian army(2).JPG|Black Mongolian helmet
File:Khalili Collection Islamic Art mtw 1415.jpg|alt=Iranian helmet, iron, bronze rivets and gilding.|Iranian, 7th or 8th century CE Spangenhelm
File:KHM Wien A 12 - Bascinet by Master A, Milan, c. 1400, side.jpg|Early 15th century [[bascinet]] with ''hounskull'' visor
File:Helm for the Joust of Peace (Stechhelm) MET DP271142.jpg|15th-century German [[frog-mouth helm]] used in [[jousting]]
File:Helmet of Mamluk Sultan Qaitbay, Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg (37046195461).jpg|Ottoman [[zischagge]] helmet, mid-16th century
File:German - Close Helmet of the "Maximilian" Style - Walters 51465 - Profile.jpg|16th century Maximilian style [[close helmet]]
File:Parade helmet VandA M.52-1909.jpg|19th-century Japanese [[kabuto]]
File:Braunschweigisches Husaren-Regiment Nr. 17 Totenkopf Paradehelm Cut out.jpg|German [[Pickelhaube]]
File:Musee-de-lArmee-IMG 0976.jpg|Late 19th-century pith helmet
File:Soldiers Zhejiang Campaign 1942.jpg|Type 90 helmets worn by the Japanese during the Second World War
File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-089-3779-11A, Russland, Hauptmann mit Ritterkreuz Recolored.jpg|A German [[stahlhelm]] during World War II
File:VMA-311Flight Helmet.JPG|[[Vietnam War]] era Marine [[Squadron (aviation)|squadron]] VMA-311 [[Fighter pilot helmet|flight helmet]]
File:US soldiers wearing the PASGT helmet, Hawaii (cropped).jpg|[[PASGT]] helmet 
</gallery>
<gallery mode="packed" caption="Work helmets">
File:Fire helmet, c. 1893, leather, steel - Old Colony History Museum - Taunton, Massachusetts - DSC03887.jpg|Leather and steel firefighting helmet
File:STS-135 Sandy Magnus undergoes a fit check of her Sokol suit.jpg|[[space helmet|Astronaut helmet]]
</gallery>
<gallery mode="packed" caption="Sport helmets">
File:Sporthelme.jpg|Ski helmet (left), paragliding helmet (right)
File:Aviakit Pudding basin helmet.jpg|Aviakit motorcyclist "pudding basin" helmet
File:White-helmets.jpg|Full face and open face motorcycle helmets
File:Hurling helmet 000 0200.jpg|[[Hurling]]/[[Camogie]] helmet
File:Magnus Muhrén 2012b.jpg|[[Magnus Muhrén]] wearing a [[bandy]] helmet 
File:312 Festa Major de Terrassa, els Minyons de Terrassa aixecant un castell a la Rambla.jpg|Helmets with soft outer surfaces used by children in [[castell]]s
</gallery>
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==See also==
* [[Combat helmet]]
** [[List of combat helmets]]
* [[Face shield]]
* [[Firefighter's helmet]]
* [[God helmet]]
* [[Helmet boxing]]
* [[Riot helmet]]

==References==
<references />

==External links==
{{commons category|Helmets}}
* [https://books.google.com/books?id=XicDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA56 "Helmets...A Medieval Note In Modern Warfare"], August 1942, ''[[Popular Science]]'' evolution of military helmets

{{Clothing}}
{{Helmets}}
{{Headgear}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Helmets|*]]
[[Category:Canoeing and kayaking equipment]]
[[Category:Headgear]]
[[Category:Hurling equipment]]
[[Category:Safety]]