An elegant helmet with the owls of Athena on each cheekpiece. The crest is fronted by a winged figurehead - Nike, the goddess of victory and achievement.
Female figureheads were often plaved at the prow of a ship, for protection and guidance, and the maritime feel of the decoration on this helmet is echoed by the wave motifs on the crest.
bronze helmet with Nike and owls
dimensions
Height on marble base: 39cm
about these helmets
The prototype for these glorious helmets is the plain, uncrested Corinthian style of the 6th century BC. Originals of these can be seen in museums across the world. Those in the Goulandris Collection in the Museum of Cycladic Art in Athens, and in the Museum of Ancient Olympia are the inspiration for this collection.
The motifs on the crests are either geometric designs or symbolic creatures.
Original helmets are much thinner and lighter than these, and the largest 'life-size' copies are also smaller than the circumference of today's average male head. They are most definitely not to be worn! Where mounted, they are on a marble base.
about the bronze collection
The bronze pieces are cast in Greece using the traditional lost wax method. As nothing is mass-produced, there will inevitably be slight variations in texture, patina, and colour. No two pieces are ever the same. If mounted on a marble base, it will be a black or very dark grey base. There may be a variation of some millimetres in the dimensions of the base from time to time.
It's All Greek is proud to have been working with the Semitekolo family foundry since 1999. It has been a privilege to handle these gorgeous pieces and to sell them to customers all over the world.
about the owl
Symbol of Athena, who was the goddess of wisdom, intelligence and resourcefulness. She was also the patron deity of Athens, the city to which she gave her name and the gift of the olive.
The owl was frequently depicted in the art and coinage of the city, especially from the 6th century BC onwards.