In the following article I will give a short history of the war helmets and clan hats that may be seen among the collections in the Northwest Coast Hall of the University Museum. The stories as told, are incomplete, and offer only an outline of the well connected history related to the old pieces.

Dec 19, 2013 · A fantastic Tlingit war helmet has been recently rediscovered in the backroom of a museum in Springfield, Massachussests. The helmet was accessioned in 1899 as an “Aleutian hat” and the designation was never questioned until now.

Tlingit war helmets had carved spirit, ancestor, or clan crest figures that spiritually protected and empowered warriors. The carving on this example represents the red-breasted merganser, a swift and aggressive water bird.

Dec 18, 2013 · Beginning as protection for Tlingit warriors in battle, war helmets today serve the Tlingit as healing reminders of their rich and ancient history. A glimpse of this rich history can be seen starting Thursday, December 26, when the helmet will be placed on display for the first time since arriving in Springfield over a century ago.

Jan 8, 2014 · Tribal leaders are hoping a rare Tlingit war helmet that sat mislabeled in museum archives in western Massachusetts for more than 100 years will be returned to Southeast Alaska now that the...

Dec 2, 2016 · Tlingit battle helmets were designed to inspire fear. The thick, wooden head armor carried imagery of strong warriors, fierce animals or revered ancestors. But helmets also played a ceremonial role, representing clans or helping shamans scout behind enemy lines.

Modern Tlingit-style war helmet Native warriors wore battle helmets with crest animals or ancestors and were outfitted with wooden visors, thick leather tunics, and body armor made of wooden rods or slats.

Dec 18, 2013 · After seeing photographs of the piece, Henrikson had no doubt that it was a war helmet made by the Tlingit people of southeast Alaska. Only 95 of these war helmets, which are decorated...

Dec 19, 2013 · A rare Tlingit war helmet from Southeast Alaska that sat misidentified in museum storage for more than 100 years was uncovered this autumn in Springfield, Mass.

Feb 11, 2020 · Beginning as protection for Tlingit warriors in battle, war helmets today serve the Tlingit as healing reminders of their rich and ancient history. You can see the helmet on view in Native American Hall in the Springfield Science Museum.