Find Spot record MDO6853 - Merovingian helmet or Montenegrin bride's belt, Hamworthy, Poole

An object comprising iron and bronze, leather and carnelians was found by two allotment-holders while double-trenching new ground in 1932. This find was initially thought to be a sixth century AD Merovingian helmet. It was later reinterpreted as a nineteenth century Montenegrin bride's belt.

The remains of a leather helmet, strengthened with metal bands and studded by way of ornament with carnelians, was found by two allotment-holders while double-trenching new ground in 1932. The relic was unearthed on two separate dates, the first discovery being a bronze plate backed with iron and showing fragments of leather still attached to it, and 12 oval or circular jewels in their bronze setting. About a month later two additional bronze plates, another 15 jewels, one empty setting, and a spadefull of leather dust were recovered. The general opinion of experienced archaeologists was that the closest parallels to this find were the Continental helmets of Frankish (i.e. Merovingian) date of the 6th century A.D. <1>

Discussion of Anglo-Saxon helmet types. <2>

Some of the experts have revised their original verdict and regard the find as part of a Montenegrin brides belt. It should be emphasised that the mixture of leather, iron and large cabochon gems is quite plausible for late-Roman, Barbarian or Early Dark Age helmets, but in view of the fact that the experts regard the relics as a case of survival in High Albania from antiquity, and their presence at Hamworthy as due to early gypsy migration, full publicity is given to this new interpretation, as was accorded to the Frankish helmet theory in 1932. <3.

Six cornelians from this find (listed at 'helmet') are on show in Poole Museum. The bronze strips, fragments of leather, and the remainder of the cornelians are at present exhibited in Dorchester Museum. Site of find now in process of being built over. <4>

Full description and discussion of the bride's belt with regard to T D Kendrick's identification of the finds and the inference of a 19th century origin, by comparison with a similar bride's belt in the British Museum, regarded as an example of the survival of Roman ornament in the peasant art of the Balkans. <5>

<1> Smith, H P, 1932, The Hamworthy Section of the Branch Roman Road from Badbury Rings to Poole Harbour, 1-4 map plates and reconstruction (Article in serial). SWX3198.

<2> Baldwin-Brown g, 1915, The Arts of Early England, p195-6 (Monograph). SWX3199.

<3> Smith, H P, 1948, History of the Borough and County of the Town of Poole. Origins and Early Development (vol. 1), p95 (Monograph). SWX3200.

<4> Colquhoun, F D, Field Investigators Comments FDC, F1 FDC 07-DEC-51 (Unpublished document). SWX2609.

<5> Bruce-Mitford, R, 1974, Aspects of Anglo-Saxon archaeology: Sutton Hoo and other discoveries
and other discoveries 1974 246-9 photo (R Bruce-Mitford) (Monograph). SWX3202.

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 457381 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 10 2023 12:34PM