Barbutes

A barbute (termed a barbuta in Italian) is a visorless war helmet of 15th century Italian design, often with distinctive "T" shaped or "Y" shaped opening for the eyes and mouth. The name is first recorded in an inventory made for the Gonzaga family of Mantua in 1407. It can be considered as a specialised form of the sallet. The barbute resembles classical Greek helmets (most strikingly the Corinthian) and may have been influenced by a renewed interest in ancient artifacts which was common in this period.