Between Warfare and Craftsmanship: In-Situ XRF Analysis of Illyrian Helmets from Across Albania
Journal: Preprints.org
Year: 2026

Illyrian helmets represent a key element of Iron Age martial culture in the western Bal-kans, reflecting technological knowledge, workshop traditions, and long-distance cultural exchange. Based on the currently available archaeological record, Illyrian helmets are first attested in contexts dating to the 8th-7th centuries BC, with finds concentrated in Greece and the central and western Balkans, including Macedonia, Albania, Dalmatia, and the wider interior. Over time, the form developed into se