Brass Ottoman Empire Helmet

In the sixteenth century, Ottoman metalworkers fashioned arms and weaponry from gilded copper, 'tombak' in Turkish. Tombak was often used for parade armour, especially helmets, shields, and shaffrons, as it was easy to fashion, lightweight, and, above all, colorful. This helmet is an unusually elaborate example of tombak armor.   The small stamp which is placed on this helmet indicates that the helmet was once kept in The Byzantine church of Hagia Eirene (St. Irene), the former imperial Ottoman dyanisties arsenal. The stamp or (tamga mark) is the mark of the Sultan armouries and the Kayi tribe.