Archaeologists in Croatia have found a 2,500-year-old metallic helmet in an Illyrian burial mound that could have served as a votive offer or played a role in a religious ritual.
The helmet was discovered within a stone structure in a burial mound at the Gomile archaeological site. It dates back to a period between the late sixth century B.C. and the early fourth century B.C., according to insights shared by Hrvoje Potrebica, a professor of archaeology at the University of Zagreb leading the excavation, in correspondence with Live Science.
The Gomile site features multiple burial mounds and is situated near the village of Zakotorac on the Pelješac Peninsula close to the Adriatic Sea. Potrebica mentioned that “Each mound [contains] multiple graves and each grave contain[s] multiple burials.”Historical accounts from ancient Greece suggest that the Illyrian people thrived in the area around the era when the helmet was crafted. The Illyrians, existing as various tribes and kingdoms, were gradually subdued by the Romans through a series of conflicts from 229 to 168 B.C.
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While the recently uncovered helmet has not undergone preservation yet, Potrebica stated that it is “seemingly in impeccable condition.” The stone structure housing the helmet stands apart from all the burial sites within the mound, indicating that it might have been intended as a votive offering “to deceased ancestors or as part of a religious practice linked to the entire mound rather than a specific individual burial,” Potrebica mentioned.
If the newly discovered helmet was utilized in warfare, it could have evoked a psychological impact on adversaries, as per insights from Domagoj Perkić, director of the Archaeological Museum under Dubrovnik Museums and a researcher involved in the excavation. Perkić noted in an email to Live Science that “Just try to imagine a warrior with a shiny [helmet] on his head, in the sun, on the eve of a battle … that moment alone causes awe in the enemy.”
In 2020, another helmet was discovered by archaeologists in a stone structure within a nearby burial mound, Potrebica remarked. Similar to the recently unearthed helmet, it likely was not intended for a specific person or grave.
The Centre for Prehistoric Research in Zagreb, headed by Potrebica, is overseeing research activities at the Gomile site in collaboration with scientists from Dubrovnik Museums and the Institute of Archaeology in Croatia.
