Sumerian Helmets???

[Kontos]

I have no written references, just some internet images. In these images Sumerian helmets appear to be leather because of the slightly reddish tint the artist created. However; most people that I have seen paint there ancients give them bronze helmets. The images I have could be bronze but they just look off to me as a metallic. Any help? Thanks in advance.

[David Kuijt]

I think most of what we know about Sumerians comes off the Vulture Stele of Eannatum. It's a limestone block in seven fragments, mostly at the Louvre I believe. There are no colors.

I'd paint them all coppery bronze, myself, the same metallic color as the disks on the shields. To me, the shape and size are too uniform to be leather.

AANE says copper. Note also that virtually the same helmets are worn for the next 800 years, although materials might change (might well be bronze by then).

[Kontos]

Thanks DK! I will see if I can get copper to work.

[Andreas Johansson]

Copper helmets are known from Sumerian royal tombs of the First Dynasty of Ur. They're unknown from non-royal tombs, so Hamblin surmises the mass of a Sumerian army would have had leather head protection. They wouldn't be restricted solely to the kings themselves however: they're found on royal bodyguards who were buried with their masters.