ilO BULLETIN 137, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



I lie front of the oval helmet bowl. A high narrow crest extends 

 from the base of the helmet bowl at the front to the base of the 

 bowl at the back. It is ornamented with an openwork floriated 

 arabesque pattern resembling that found on the ornamental sec- 

 tions of Moro weapons and contains the characteristic ogee curve 

 .arranged in several combinations. Similar openwork ornamental 

 patterns occur at the front umbril and on the neck piece. The hel- 

 met is provided with a plume holder placed low at the front on the 

 left side of the crest. The placing of the plume holder at the front 

 and the characteristic floriation are of the plumed pompon of Ma- 

 laysian origin, while the helmet as a whole is a copy of the Spanish 

 helmet. The weight is but 4 pounds, although some of the brass 

 helmets cast by the Moro, now in the Museum, weigh as much as 

 () pounds. 



The pompon inserted in the plume holder is 59 centimeters (23.2 

 inches) in height and is composed of three feathered plumes of equal 

 height, placed on a framework of wood. Each is wrapped with red 

 cord and terminates at the base in a funnel-shaped wooden sleeve. 

 It is supported by three bamboo brackets extending one-half the 

 length of the plumes. Another pompon reaching only one-half the 

 height of the three plumes is placed at their back. This is composed 

 of a section of palm leaf to which have been sewn tufts of hair and 

 feathered bamboo splints. An ornamental piece composed of two 

 series of upright splints extending respectively one-third and two- 

 thirds the length of the taller pompons is socketed in the funnel- 

 shaped wooden cylinder which contains the pompons and feathered 

 palm leaf. Immediately back of the uprights is a thin slab of per- 

 forated wood 0.5 centimeter thick, reaching to the same height as 

 tlie upright. The bracketed plumes are lashed to this slab from the 

 back and to the upright splints at the front. In front of the up- 

 rights are placed three series of cut sections of palm leaf cut to 

 resemble pairs of birds' wings and covered with red cloth and gilt 

 metal leaf (tinfoil). They are arranged in three superimposed 

 series, the second and the third, respectively, each being longer by 

 one-third the length than the one in front of it. 



Height of helmet to top of crest, 25 centimeters (9.8 inches) ; 

 length from tip of visor to tip of neck piece, 33 centimeters (13 

 inches). Collected by Gen. R. D. Potts, United States Army. Cat. 

 No. 327146, U.S.N.M. (PI. 15, No. 2.) 



Brass hehnet^ Moro^ Iligan^ north Mindanao. — The helmet, includ- 

 ing visor or umbril, crest, and neck piece, is cast in one piece. Cheek 

 flaps are small and are attached to the base of the helmet bowl by 

 means of a hinge ; the hinge rod is a worn cord of abaca fiber knotted 

 at each end. The crest, plume holder at the left front of crest, and 

 the bowl of the helmet at the back and at the sides are ornamented 



