sallets

Sallets, or salets, are a class of European helmets that appeared in the late Middle Ages and were widely used through the mid-16th century. They are characterized by a rounded crown and a distinct neck guard formed by a rear extension or tail of the helmet, which offered protection to the nape while keeping the face relatively open. A salient feature is the face opening, which could be left uncovered, fitted with a separate bevor to cover the lower face and throat, or, in some variants, paired with a hinged or removable visor. The design allowed good visibility and ventilation, important for infantry and heavy-armed soldiers.

Regional variants existed, with Italian and German makers producing different profiles, but the general form remained the same: a steel skull with a neck-guard extension and adjustable protection at the front. The sallet was commonly worn over a mail aventail or with other neck protection, and could be used alone or in combination with a coif.

Over time, the sallet was supplanted by more fully enclosed helmet types such as the armet, burgonet, and later close helmets, as armor and warfare priorities shifted toward greater facial protection and compatibility with firearms. By the mid-16th century, its use had largely declined in favor of these newer designs, although variants persisted in some regions or ceremonial contexts.

Today, sallets are valued by collectors and historians as markers of late medieval armor technology. Surviving examples are held in museums worldwide and are often elaborately decorated in metalwork or inlaid with gilding.