Turgay TEZCAN

Helmet is made in the shape of conic, with golden gilding and of cupper. It has got a nest of crest in front. The upside of nose shield is motivated with writings. (The end of XVI. century)

     There are three elements which carried out the first improving stages of human being: meaning of speed, law (justice) concept and working up the mine. The first two elements of these has been the source of productivity as sipiritual way. The final element the fundemental material used first in materialist civilization. The idea Turks served Iron for human being’s profit, because of different documents , is dominated by scientific media. They discovered this mine first in Mid-Asia that is their mother-land on Altays-Turks are the first iron working up nation of the world. Turks who melt and shape as they want, performed opening perfect and long path in people’s universe and this incident helped the world’s culture a lot.

     Iron in B. C. 3500 years, was known by Turks. Scientific to Turkish nation, motives of Iron mountain stories goes back the dark ages before history. In  the age of Gök-Türk state. (B. C. 552) in “Ergenekon Destaný”, we see this motive the best. In the excavation and researches in Altay, Orhan, Yenisoy regions, the oldest samples of Turkish Mining Workers. In Great Hun Empire age, ( B. C. 204 ) curved Turkish swards is seen as developed in castles. Uygurs were the best iron workers of the age. China ambassador between 981-984 years, after his visit to tufan and Beþ Balýðý in his diaries, tells the iron job-sites and mining works with a great admiration. Mid-Asia Turks, in their written old China and Arabian sources are remembered as “Iron producer and the nation who liked this the best”. Iranians call Turks as “Nation motivated in Steel”.

      Seljuk Turks gave very much help to Middle Asia culture art. And Ottomans, developed mine art with a progressive workmanship understanding in different kinds of levels.

     This is an important element that Turks used this mine with a great skill, and used it as various kinds of war weapons since early times. Seljuks and Ottoman states were continually in a war environment with the aim of forming themselves a new homeland and guarding these places. This case explains why weapon producing was the most important branch of mine workmanship in Turks. The basic material used in weapon making is iron and steel which were prepared in a high quality. We can also see some defending weapons such as armor, helmet and shield made from copper and brass.

     Mine made weapons, were being made by weapons experts from various centers in Anatolia. Sivas, Konya, Erzurum, Van and Diyarbakýr were the most important places of these centers. And then, some cities like edirne, Bursa, Ýstanbul got importance and Ýstanbul lived the most mature time of mine workmanship in XVI-XVIII. It continued mine art together with silver work in XVIII-XIX.centuries.    

      It is real that mine workmanship I wanted to make clear above had been put into practice in producing weapon and other ornament goods with its all techniques in Ottoman period. As a result, being an advanced hand art of mine workmanship in Ottomans is not only coming from knowing the special feutures and sorts of using material, but also coming from graceful and coherent preferance in decoration and strenght of its workmanship. In my opinion it can be useful to clarifying the definition, items, production, using techniques of helmet and  giving the names of helmets.

Helmet: In early times, steel headgears that warriors put on to protect theirs heads from sword, mace, battle ax and arrow blows were called helmet.

      There are two kinds of Helmet in general.

     1.     Helmets veiled with a peçe
2.     Helmets with bill

Helmets veiled with a peçe: Bill is a material that nailed to muzzle part of helmet and knitted with steel rings that are up to shoulders. This long knit also protects and covers the shoulders.

           We can list parts of Helmets with bill in the following way: