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In Croatia, archaeologists dug up a 2,500-year-old helmet from the Illyrians, a group of people that once occupied the Balkan Peninsula during ancient times.
The helmet was discovered in a graveyard at the archaeological site of Gomile, which is located in Peljesac, a southern Croatia peninsula. It is the second Illyrian helmet to be found at the site. The first helmet was uncovered during excavations in 2020.
The Illyrians were divided into various tribes and kingdoms. They flourished in the areas now known as Croatia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Montenegro, Greece, and Albania.
According to Dubrovnik Museums, the most recent piece of armor was buried in a walled structure next to some graves. Archaeologists strongly believe that it was left behind as an offering to the dead.
The previous helmet dates back to the 4th century B.C.E., but this one could be from as early as the 6th century B.C.E. At Gomile, there are multiple burial mounds that each contain several graves with more than one person buried in them.
In the 3rd and 2nd centuries B.C.E., the Illyrians were gradually conquered by the Romans. They became part of the Roman Empire by 168 B.C.E.
The newly discovered helmet was found in near-perfect condition in a stone grave that was separate from the rest of the burial mounds, indicating that it was offered to “deceased ancestors” or as part of a funerary ritual practice.
It is not clear if the armor was worn in battle. If it were, then it would likely have made quite an impression on the enemy.
The director of the Archaeological Museum at Dubrovnik Museums, Domagoj Perkić, told Live Science, “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.”
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