if the maedate is not at the front............

[Bungo]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Japanese-Armor-Yoro ... 240%3A1318

 

 

still call it a maedate if it's behind ?

 

no " hole " on the top, so the legend/urban myth about that being the escape route of the soul is ?

 

 

milt

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

no " hole " on the top, so the legend/urban myth about that being the escape route of the soul is ?

 

Tenugui apart, wasn't it supposed to be the way Hachiman or Marishiten used to "enlight" the warrior ?

[IanB]

Milt, A crest on the back of the helmet is called ushiro date. (and just for the record, waki date on the sides and kashira date on top). The nonsese about the tehen being to let 'spirits' in or out seems to be a rather fanciful later idea. During the Heian period helmets had no real lining, the inside being smoothed with filler and then had leather pasted on. When wearing them, a soft eboshi type cap was worn, the excess being pulled up through, what was then, a large tehen. To make it more decorative the hole was surrounded by an ornamental mount and this continued to be fitted long after real linings came in, although the hole itself had become much smaller. Most regular helmets have four little eyelets spaced around the bowl with loops of braid in them. Again a relic from the Heian period. Helmets at that time having substantial loops of leather inside, knotted outside, about half way up the bowl, to which the helmet cord fastened. Since Heian and later helmets had standing rivets, these knots were protected from being cut. When helmets were made without standing rivets, four were still fitted above these vestigial loops. Finally there is the ring on the back. Originally to take a small identification flag, kasa jirushi, so those following knew who you were. Later the flag was replaced by a small tasselled bow to stop the ring jingling. Why the ring? To carry the bow. Why the bow? to keep the ring from making a noise. Wonderful circular logic here.

Ian

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

a soft eboshi type cap was worn, the excess being pulled up through,

 

Sorry, Tenugui wasn't the correct therm, just one I'm familiar with.

Great explanation Ian.

[Brian]

Just uploading a few brief pics so that this thread is still relevant long after the auction pics have disappeared. If anyone at all objects to any pics being posted here, just let me know and I'll remove them.

 

Brian