MessageToEagle.com – This golden helmet was accidentally discovered by a boy living with his family in the village of Poiana Cotofenesti (now called Poiana Varbilau), southern Romania.
In 1929, while plowing his parents’ field, the boy suddenly made a fascinating archeological discovery in form of an ancient golden helmet, which researchers date to 4th century BC.
The artifact, which weighs 1.224 g and has a diameter of 13.92 mm is very well-preserved, missing only the part of its skull cap.
It was established that the helmet was made by a craftsman of the local Thracian tribes of Geto-Dacians and unquestionably it was part of the martial display regalia of an unknown local Dacian king or a powerful aristocratic warlord.
It was also suggested that the helmet was the sacred helmet of Zalmoxis, the living god-prophet of the Dacians.
The helmet is richly decorated with a range of mythical creatures, and large studs on the top of the skull and two very large eyes supposedly having the power to avert evil influences, bad luck and magic spells. In fact, particularly, these frontal apotropaic piercing eyes, are the most striking decorative element of the helmet.
The eyes could have a symbolic meaning: “I see twice as well, I have eyes like my hawk”.
Technically, the helmet was created by repeatedly hammering a very thick gold sheet on a wooden support.
The artifact is 25 centimeters tall and 770 grams heavy.
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