The Broe helmet is an iron helmet with decorative elements dating from the Vendel Period. It was discovered around 1904 in a cremation grave on the Broe farm located on the Swedish island of Gotland. In this grave, alongside the helmet, various other items were found, including fragments of shields, weapons, bridles, and game pieces. Due to the fragmented state of the helmet, it has only been partially reconstructed, but it appears to be an example of the "crested helmets" that were prevalent in England and Scandinavia from the 6th to the 11th centuries.
A speculative reconstruction of the helmet was attempted in 1969. It suggests that the helmet was made in segments, with separate bands for the brow and nose-to-nape. Metal pieces attached to the brow band likely provided protection for the neck, cheeks, and face. The nose-to-nape band was adorned with ornamental bronze sheeting, and there was an eyebrow piece, which is mostly preserved and featured animal-head terminals. This piece was inlaid with strips, possibly silver, creating an intricate design. The overall appearance is reminiscent of the contemporaneous Vendel XIV helmet, suggesting that the Broe helmet may have shared some similarities.
The helmet is challenging to date precisely on its own, but the style and type of grave goods found with it suggest a date in the second half of the 7th century AD. This aligns with the Vendel XIV grave, which has varying estimates of its date, ranging from 520 to 625 AD, and shares similarities with the Broe grave, not only in terms of the helmets but also in the decorated iron fragments found within the graves.
The Broe helmet survives only in a fragmented state, and its artistic reconstruction is speculative. When intact, it likely had an iron cap made in sections, featuring both a brow band and a nose-to-nape band. The nose-to-nape band probably included ornamental bronze sheeting and terminated above the eyebrows with an animal head decorated with garnets for its eyes. A surviving fragment of the nose-to-nape band suggests that a second animal head terminal adorned the rear of the helmet. Iron strips hung from the brow band to provide protection for the neck and cheeks. While only a fragmentary piece of the cheek protection remains, it appears to have extended deeply. Strips also extended from the nose-to-nape band to cover the nose and encircled the eyes to protect the face. Above the eyes, there was an ornamental eyebrow piece made of iron and inlaid with thin strips, possibly silver, with animal heads on either side.
Although the Broe helmet might have shared some design elements with the Vendel XIV helmet, its exact appearance remains uncertain due to its fragmented condition.