Medieval Aranäs helmet
3D-model of a medieval helmet in the collections of the Swedish History Museum (CC BY 4.0).
The Aranäs helmet, also known as Torgils Knutsson’s iron hat, is a medieval helmet from around AD 1300. It was discovered in 1916 by the archaeologist Bror Schnittger during an excavation of the Aranäs Castle in Västergötland.
The helmet, made of undecorated iron, consists of several joined parts and shows traces of leather fittings and a padded liner. It is partly flattened and bears marks of fire, probably from the castle fire in 1305. The Aranäs helmet is a unique and well-preserved find that contributes to our knowledge of medieval warfare equipment in the Nordic countries.
Aranäs helmet
The original object that was 3D-scanned.
On view at Historiska museet in the exhibition Sveriges historia
Digitisation in 3D
The Swedish History Museum is part of the government agency National Historical Museums. The organisation is constantly working to digitise its collections. One example of this work is the creation of 3D models of some of the museum’s objects.
How is a 3D model made?
A photographer takes a large number of still photos of an object from different angles. These images are then processed by computer software to create a digital version of the object – a 3D model. This technique is called photogrammetry or Structure from Motion (SfM).
In this way, 3D models of objects from the museum’s collections are continuously being created. The models are made available on the platform Sketchfab.com, where you can view, download and freely reuse them under an open licence. Have you used our 3D models to create something you’d like to share with us? Or would you like to get in touch with the department responsible for the 3D models? Feel free to email: bilder@shm.se
