Punjabi Sikh Kulah Khud

The ‘Khula-Khud’ is a type of helmet which has its origin in Persia and was widespread among other cultures such as Eastern-Europe and India. While most Persian helmets are lavishly decorated with chiseled motifs and decorated with gold inlay, their Indian counter parts usually show a more refined decoration style with koftgari and often lack chiseled decoration. The basic form of the ‘Kulah-Khud’ is a one-piece skull with attached ‘zirah’ aventail and s spike on top. The front is often provided with plume holders in which feathers were placed during parades. Some examples have an adjustable nasal guard which can be adjusted to the owners preference. In India, especially within the Sikh empire, the helmets are often smaller and made to fit on a turban and are called ‘Top’ helmets. (see a classic top helmet here).

This example:
A fine ‘Kulah-Khud’ from the Punjabi region, current Pakistan. Like the shields, this example originates most likely from Sialkot hence the typical arabesque koftgari inlay in ‘Ganga Jamuna’ (a mixture of silver and gold). The top of the helmet shows a lotus-shaped finial on which ends up in a large porte-aigrette. A classic Sikh helmet which can be compared to a series of similar examples held in the Royal Armories, Leeds.