c. 500-200 BC, Classical down to Alexander the Great and Hellenistic periods. This beautiful two-part Chalcidian helmet features a high-crested brown and hinged cheek pieces. Moulded decoration above the brow comprises two curved horns; a stag motif appears on the side of the helm. These designs probably allude to Zeus Ammon, a syncretistic Graeco-Egyptian deity combining attributes of the Greek got Zeus and the Egyptian Amun, who is usually depicted as a horned man. After his conquest of Egypt, Alexander the Great visited a shrine of this god in the Egyptian desert and was declared “the song of Ammon,” leading to a lasting association between this god and royalty. This gorgeous piece may therefore have once belonged to a royal bodyguard. The Chalcidian helmet draws its name from pottery with which it was originally found and it is not known where this kind of helmet was invented. However, it seems to have been a late Classical evolution of the earlier Corinthian helmet, and was used from the later 5th century BC through to the Hellenistic period, including by Greek warriors in Southern Italy and by Alexander the Great's troops when he conquered his enormous empire. For further discussion, see Heckel, Waldemar, and Jones, Ryan. Macedonian Warrior: Alexander's Elite Infantryman. Osprey Publishing, 2006. The artefact is fully authenticated with XRF analysis by an independent Belgian laboratory. All samples correspond to the metal content of the period specified; no modern trace elements were detected in the patina; expertly cleaned and conserved. Excellent condition with minor repairs; beautiful patina; on a custom-made stand. N.B. this piece has undergone some minor repairs.Size: L:280mm / W:230mm ; 1.54g; Provenance: Property of a London doctor; formerly in the private collection of a gentleman living in Oxford; acquired from on the UK art markets since mid-1980s.