The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of April 25, 2019

Kettle Hat (War Hat)

c. 1460

Italy, 15th century

Steel

Overall: 30.3 x 25.9 x 17.5 cm (11 15/16 x 10 3/16 x 6 7/8 in.)

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance 1916.1919

Location

210A Armor Court

Fun Fact

Modern soldiers wear Kevlar combat helmets that weigh four to five pounds. By comparison, this medieval helmet is nearly three times as heavy. Imagine what it would have been like to wear such a heavy piece of equipment on your head during a siege.

Description

Open helmets like this one were used by medieval infantries. The helmet weighs 12-1/2 pounds. This unusual weight was required for siege purposes—such helmets were worn by the men who attempted to scale the walls of an armed town. The rivet holes along the ridge were for the attachment of the liner.

Provenance
Frank Gair Macomber; Boston; cat. #22.
Citations
Catalogue of Arms and Armour. Vol. 1, 14th & 15th centuries. [Boston, Massachusetts]: [Frank Gair Macomber], [1900-1915]. Mentioned and Reproduced: No. 24 [22] archive.org
Gilchrist, Helen Ives. A Catalogue of the Collection of Arms & Armor Presented to the Cleveland Museum of Art by Mr. and Mrs. John Long Severance; 1916-1923. Cleveland: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1924. Mentioned: p. 42, B4 archive.org
Exhibition history

The Cleveland Museum of Art (09/10/1998); "Armor Court Reinstallation"

Armor Court Reinstallation. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer).

Source URL: http://cmaweb23-bbn-2.clevelandart.org/art/1916.1919