IIEL'MET, defensive armor for the head : a word of Scandinavian derivation. The armor of the ancients, which partic ularly guarded the head, was known by the general denominations of head-pieee, casque, and helmet. Helmets were an ciently formed of various materials, but chiefly of skins of beasts, brass, and iron. An open helmet covers only the head, ears, and neck, leaving the face unguard ed. Some open helmets have a bar or bars from the forehead to the chin, to guard against the transverse cut of a broad-sword ; but it affords little defence against the point of a lance or sword. A close helmet entirely covers the head, face, and neck ; having on the front per forations for the admission of air, and slits through which the wearer may see the objects nronml him ; this port, which is styled the visor, (from the French word riser, to take sim,) lifts up by means of a pivot over each ear. Some helmets have a Never, (from humour, drinker, or from the Italian berere, to drink,) which, when closed, covers the month and chin, and either lifts np lty revolving on the same pivots as the visor, or lets down by means of two or more pivots on each side nem: the jaws. The use of the bever was to
enable the wearer to eat and drink more commodiously than could be done in a helmet with to visor only. The helmets of the Greeks and Romans were mostly open, not unlike skullcaps, as formerly worn by modern dragoons. 111ontfaueon says he never saw an ancient helmet with a riser to raise or let down, although he is of opinion that they had those contri vances. It seems as if the Romans, at least those of which Pompey's army was composed at Pharsalia, had open hel mets, as Caesar directed his soldiers to strike them in the face, which order, had their faces been covered, he would not have given.