Helmets There are various types of helmets in use by soldiers and warriors upon Gor. The most commonly used is the standard Gorean war helmet, popularized and manufactured in the larger city-states by the thousands. It is described by Tarl Cabot as being a close-faced helmet which encloses the entire head, with a distinctive "Y" shaped opening in the faceplate to admit air and to allow breathing. This style of helmet seems to be based on the Barbuta style helmets which date from classical antiquity on Earth, perfected and much in use during the heyday of the Athenian city-states of Greece. Typically mounted atop each example of this type of helmet is a crest plate, upon which can be displayed the symbol of a city or organization. The crests themselves adorn the top of the helmet either crosswise, from one side of the neck to the other, or lengthwise from the back of the neck to the upper forehead like half-fans, and can be fitted with any number of accoutrements, from sleen fur to tarn feathers and the like; in addition, the helmet itself can be painted or lacquered in any color, to represent a grouping, city or caste. As described in the books they are hammered and riveted together in several pieces, though the pierced faceplate itself is depicted as "a single piece of iron." Due to the highly developed metal-working capabilities of modern Goreans, however, it is a safe assumption that they are actually of tempered steel, which is lighter and stronger, and that Cabot's reference to them as iron is merely a fanciful allusion on the part of the author. Additionally such helmets can be hammered from bronze, also an inferior metal, though such examples are probably symbolic of some cultural significance and not intended to be used in actual combat. According to Cabot each such helmet is fitted with removable padding of rolls of leather, stuffed with softer material and laced into the helmet to insure a superior fit. These helmets are often stripped of their crests and padding to be used as crude cooking vessels by soldiers on the march. This type of helmet is first described in book #1, Tarnsman of Gor, and appears regularly in later books. Another example of a Gorean helmet is that often worn by the desert tribesmen and denizens of such southern cities as Turia and Tor, as well as by the nomadic warriors of the Wagon Peoples. This helmet is similar in design to the mongol/saracen battle helmet of Earth and is a cone-shaped steel defense worn atop the head, often fitted with a nasal guard of narrow flat construction. Such helmets may be adorned with a ring of fur or fabric which encircles the browband area, and can also be found mantled with either a cloth covering or a camail of linked chain. These helmets are closely fitted to the wearer's head, padded with a thick cloth cap which laces into it, and are often fitted with a leather or cord chinstrap to secure the device in place. This helmet type first appears in book #4, Nomads of Gor. A final example of Gorean helmetry is the Spangenhelm-type worn by northern warriors, which is in effect a steel or iron bowl constructed from heavy metal strapping. A single metal browband encircles the head, with two or more curved metal straps attached to it in the pattern of an "X", covering much of the wearer's skull. Curved plates are riveted in place to fill the gaps between the strapping, resulting in a layered metal cap with covers the entire head. These helmets are often fitted with cheek and neck guards, chainmail camails or even metal faceplates which conceal the face or portions of it like a metal mask. The horns of animals or metal spikes may be attached to the helmet as decoration or to add some measure of protection to the apparatus, though this usually makes them rather bulky and difficult to wear in combat. These helmets are padded with leather or lined with thick fur, and can also be fitted with a leather or cord chinstrap to insure a reliable fit. This type of helmet makes its first appearance in book #8, Marauders of Gor. I conjecture that upon Gor, as on Earth, there are as many different types of helmet in use as there are people to create them. No doubt different military uses and terrain types encourage such variations... I therefore draw a parallel to the the Roman Legions of Earth, who at any one time had within their ranks soldiers who wore literally dozens of helmet-styles as dictated by their rank and the particular needs of their divisions in battle. An archer, for example, is not likely to wear the same type of helmet as a heavy infantry field commander. Add to this the different types of metal obtainable, use of leather and alternate materials in areas where such metal is scarce, variation in available smithing techniques, and even the changing dictates of the whims of fashion, and it is understandable why a comprehensive listing of Gorean protective headgear is virtually impossible.