A Roman military face mask, 1st century A.D.A rare and extraordinarily well preserved iron Roman military face mask of a cavalry helmet. The hinge at the top of the forehead (by which it was connected to the bowl of the helmet) well preserved, the face itself with almond shaped eye openings, broad nostrils, and a slightly open mouth. On both sides below the ears at the edge a fastening button. Chipped to the left of the chin, otherwise only minor breakouts at the edges. Small holes at the nose, under the left eye, and at the chin. Good iron substance. Length 21 cm. Width 18 cm. Depth ca. 17 cm. Weight 227 g. This face mask belongs to a group of face masks which are typical for cavalry helmets of the 1st century A.D. They are known from famous grave finds of the first half of the 1st century (e.g. from Chassenard, France, see "Masques De Fer: Un Officier Romain Du Temps De Caligula", Musée Des Antiquités Nationales De Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Nov. 6, 1991 - Feb. 4, 1992). Other famous grave finds of Roman auxiliary officers are the complexes from Hellingen, Luxemburg, a Gallic nobleman of the Treveri, who fought in the Roman Army of the Early Principate (Jean Krier und François Reinert, Das Reitergrab von Hellingen. Die Treverer und das römische Militär in der frühen Kaiserzeit. Mit einem Beitrag von Rainer Fischer, Luxemburg 1993) or the helmet from the grave of Catalka, Bulgaria, which belonged to a cavalry officer of Thracian origin. A summary concerning the finds of such helmets can be found in M. C. Bishop/J. C. N. Coulston, Roman Military Equipment. 2nd Edition, London 2006, pp. 103 ff. The archaeological record is dominated by finds in the graves of local noblemen who served in the Roman army as officers in the Early Principate. In any case, such masks are very rare items, given their low chances of survival. The making of the masks was a difficult process that required skilled craftsmanship. They were modelled according to the face shape of individuals. The iron masks were hammered and required an experienced blacksmith, while the bronze helmets were embossed or sometimes even cast. All these masks were thoroughly chiselled on the front side and received a splendid finish.Provenance: South German private collection.Condition: II -