Circa 800-700 BC, Mesopotamia, Assyria A bronze helmet and torc, the helmet formed of hammered sheet, conical in form, tapering sharply to a tall point, connect and riveted on the back side of the helmet, with cheek pieces from the same sheet of bronze. The conical tip gives the helmet its distinctive shape. It is set off from the slightly curved lower part of the human skull. The lower edge of the helmet is provided along the face cut-out, the cheek guard and the rear part of the calotte with pairs of holes, which served for the attachment of a helmet lining flanged to the outside. The torc conical in shape, with long plates to sit on owner's collar one decorated with three cylindrical circles in shape of mounds. For this form of helmet see a chariot relief from the North-Palace of Ashurbanipal (A019909) in the Louvre, Paris, France with Assyrian warriors. The Assyrian Empire was one of the Mesopotamian super powers in the Levant. This kingdom started as the city-state of Assur before conquering more territory during a series of violent expansions. By 609 BC the Assyrian empire was no more and its territories were divided by the Median Empire and the Neo-Babylonian Empire. The item has undergone X-ray fluorescence analysis to confirm the metallurgical content suggesting its ancient origin and lack of modern trace elements. Size: Helmet - L:395mm / W:224mm; 304g; Torc - L:450mm / 308mm; 142g. Provenance: Property of a London private collector; formerly in a European collection; acquired from Peter Ing till collection in the early 2000s (Vienna). Formerly in an old Austrian collection.