A re-evaluation of a helmet discovered in Yarm has led experts to believe that it is the earliest Anglo-Scandinavian helmet ever to have been found in the British Isles. The remarkable Yarm helmet is one of only two nearly complete Viking helmets ever unearthed. The latest study can help experts to better understand the evolution of the helmet in the Viking Age and the Early Middle Ages.
The Yarm helmet is an example of ancient protective headgear and it was found in the 1950s by workmen in Stockton-on-Tees. According to Preston Park Museum , “the helmet is made of iron bands and plates, riveted together, with a simple knot at the top.” There are hammer marks on the Viking-era helmet indicating it was made by a smith. There is a “spectacle mask” that protected the eyes of the wearer. “The construction of the helmet is workmanlike and indicates that it was intended for use, not display,” states the Preston Park Museum website.
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