CLASSICAL PERIOD TO HELLENISTIC PERIOD, MAGNA GRAECIA, CIRCA 4TH CENTURY B.C.

The Pilos helmet takes its name from a felt cap of similar shape, often illustrated in depictions of herdsman and other outdoor workers. During the 5th-3rd centuries B.C., the type was popular because of its high level of functionality and ease of production. Pilos helmets show the evolution towards lighter and more flexible gear, with greater ability to breathe, see and hear without the faceplates of the earlier Corinthian type. Their simple conical design was also more economical and easier to construct. By the late 4th century, many were equipped with cheek guards and a flaring neck guard, as seen here. For a similar example but with a more elaborate triple crest holder at its conical end, see no. 88 in M. Merrony, ed., Mougins Museum of Classical Art; for more on the type, see pp. 215-217, op. cit.