Bascinet

From Karate, Kungfu, Wrestling, Mixed Fighting Information Source

The Bascinet is the most popular of the lighter helmets of the 14th century. It evolved from the acrcher's skull by raising the back of the crown and extending the lower edge to cover the sides and the back of the head. The earliest had high, ogival crowns and straight lower edges; they were probably worn over mail hoods. By the middle of the century the crowns had been lowered, the skull piece extended to cover the sides and back of the head, and the camail added. The camail was a cape of mail fastened to the headpiece by a lacing passing through staples (vervelles) on the latter. It covered the neck and shoulders. In some of the bascinets of the second quarter of the 14th century there is a triangular piece of mail projecting from the middle of the camail that could be hooked up to the forehead so as to cover most of the face.

In the third quarter of the century plate visors were added. They projected very strongly in a point and the helmets provided with them were called "pig-faced" or "dog-faced" bascinets. The first visors were hinged to the forehead of the helmets but, by the end of the century, they were pivoted at the temples. The pivots were on seperate pieces hinged to the visors so that the latter could be raised or, by removing one of the hinge pins, swung out sideways. By removing both hinge pins the visor could be taken off the helmet. Early in the 15th century the camail was replaced by plate neck guards forming the "great" bascinet. This was used for some time longer for tilting; but, for war, was gradually displaced by the armet.