The helmet was discovered, perhaps in the 1870s, during peat digging in Witcham Gravel.
The exact place where it was found is unclear, although it was said to have been found "at a depth of about four feet"; at the time Witcham Gravel was a parish of about 389 acres, a significant amount of which was covered by fens.
By 1877 the helmet was in the possession of Thomas Maylin Vipan, and on 17 May it was exhibited to the Society of Antiquaries of London by Augustus Wollaston Franks.
In June 1880 the helmet was again loaned, this time to the Royal Archaeological Institute, which exhibited it in a two-week-long "Exhibition  of  helmets  and mail."
A write-up in The Academy termed it "a Roman helmet of great interest", and suggested that the unusual design had been made in Italy.
The helmet was discovered, perhaps in the 1870s, during peat digging in Witcham Gravel. The exact place where it was found is unclear, although it was said to have been found "at a depth of about four feet"; at the time Witcham Gravel was a parish of about 389 acres, a significant amount of which was covered by fens. By 1877 the helmet was in the possession of Thomas Maylin Vipan, and on 17 May it was exhibited to the Society of Antiquaries of London by Augustus Wollaston Franks. In June 1880 the helmet was again loaned, this time to the Royal Archaeological Institute, which exhibited it in a two-week-long "Exhibition  of  helmets  and mail." A write-up in The Academy termed it "a Roman helmet of great interest", and suggested that the unusual design had been made in Italy.
Witcham Gravel helmet