A barbute is a visorless war helmet of 14th to 15th century Italian design, often with distinctive "T" shaped or "Y" shaped opening for the eyes and mouth. The barbute resembles classical Greek helmets (most strikingly the Corintian) and may have been influenced by a renewed interest in ancient artifacts.
The defining characteristic of the barbute is the fact that the shape of the helmet extends all the way down to cover both sides of the face. Regardless of the type of opening—which could be T-shaped, Y-shaped or arch-shaped, this characteristic is practically always present. This made the wearing of a gorget optional.[1] On some examples, there is a central, narrow protrusion extending down from the top of the opening, designed to protect the wearer's nose. Often, barbutes were covered by fabric, most typically heavy velvet.
The main differences between the barbute and the Greek hoplite's helm to which it is often compared are the difference in material (Ancient Greeks used bronze) and the lack of a prominent decorative crest.
Barbutes were made mostly from a single sheet of steel using the metal smithing process of raising until the piece assumed the desired shape. [2] Often a low ridged crest was forged into the top of the helmet's skull which served to strengthen the helmet without adding a significant amount of weight.
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