A 2500-year-old perfectly preserved bronze helmet has been discovered in Croatia

An ancient Greco-Illyrian helmet was discovered during the excavation of an archaeological burial site on the Croatian Pelješac peninsula about 40 km from Dubrovnik. It was probably left at the site as a memento of a deceased soldier. This is the second helmet - the first and younger one was discovered just ten metres away.

Excavations of the ancient burial site on the Peljesac peninsula began in 2020. So far, at least 27 stone barrows have been discovered here, with many skeletal remains, weapons, jewellery and other artefacts. During the extended excavation of one of the dry walls of a burial tomb, Hrvoje Potrebica from the Department of Archaeology at the Faculty of Philosophy in Zagreb discovered a helmet from the 6th century BC in early April. It has a square face hole and detailed engraved decoration.

"Hrvoje picked up a stone and shouted that he had found another helmet! The feeling is phenomenal to say the least, I feel very excited, an incredible find and this is the second time," explains archaeologist Marta Kalebotová. "The second helmet was found just ten metres from the first. They are slightly different, they differ in their cheekbones. Therefore, we conclude that the newly discovered one dates from the 5th-6th century. It's a new one. It is therefore slightly older than the first one, but we still need to find out the details," added the fellow finder.

According to Kalebot, the newly discovered helmet was found in a pile surrounded by stones in a semicircular annex, while the first was lying next to a grave with many other items such as buckles, beads, pottery, amber and more. Archaeologists are still speculating whether the helmet was a votive gift for one deceased warrior or was applied en masse to all.

In any case, the new discovery of the helmet "contributes many times to the understanding of the burial rituals of the Illyrian communities that once lived in the area," the experts describe: "Helmets have always served as a symbol of power and high status," added Hrvoje Potrebica.

The Illyrians were an Indo-European community that lived in ancient times on what is now the Balkan Peninsula. Besides sheep breeding and fishing, they were also involved in piracy. They developed mining and metallurgy, and traded raw materials (especially silver) with Greece for high-quality weapons. From the 4th century BC they minted their own silver coins. The Illyrians were buried under mounds that could be up to 100 metres in diameter.

The Peljesac Canal is a 12-kilometre-long strait that separates the island of Korcula and the Peljesac peninsula. It has always been the safest and shortest trade and personal route to Dubrovnik. The local people were usually wealthy, whether because of piracy or trade, as evidenced by the precious objects found there.

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Roman Nemec

Sources: dubrovacki.slobodnadalmacija.hr, dumus.hr, miamiherald.com

The team is pursuing the pickup

soon after being removed from the ground

in situ

An Illyrian-style bronze helmet from the collections of The Metropolitan Museum of Art