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Lot Essay
The construction of this mask indicates that it was created for use in battle rather than parades. It is formed of a thin iron core covered with copper alloy, which would have provided additional protection for the soldier. It was likely once tinned, producing a silvery hue on the surface. The mask was originally attached to the helmet bowl by means of a hinge centered along the upper edge.
This mask displays striking features including full bow-shaped lips, a prominent nose, and thin horizontal slits for the double-lined, almond-shaped eyes, with protruding ears on either side of the triangular face. It belongs to the so-called Nijmegen Kops-Plateau type, which was named for a mask discovered in 1915 on the banks of the Waal river near the Dutch city of Nijmegen, the site of a Roman fort founded during Drusus’ campaign across the Rhine (12-9 B.C.; see fig. 4 in W.J.H. Willems, “Roman face masks from the Kops Plateau, Nijmegen, The Netherlands,” Journal of Roman Military Equipment Studies, vol. 3). While this mask does not retain its tinned surface or elaborate crown, it shares with the Nijmegen example similar facial features and integral ears, which prevent the need for separately-made cheek guards. For an iron face mask from the Kops Plateau without integral ears, see fig. 1 in Willems, op. cit.
This mask displays striking features including full bow-shaped lips, a prominent nose, and thin horizontal slits for the double-lined, almond-shaped eyes, with protruding ears on either side of the triangular face. It belongs to the so-called Nijmegen Kops-Plateau type, which was named for a mask discovered in 1915 on the banks of the Waal river near the Dutch city of Nijmegen, the site of a Roman fort founded during Drusus’ campaign across the Rhine (12-9 B.C.; see fig. 4 in W.J.H. Willems, “Roman face masks from the Kops Plateau, Nijmegen, The Netherlands,” Journal of Roman Military Equipment Studies, vol. 3). While this mask does not retain its tinned surface or elaborate crown, it shares with the Nijmegen example similar facial features and integral ears, which prevent the need for separately-made cheek guards. For an iron face mask from the Kops Plateau without integral ears, see fig. 1 in Willems, op. cit.