Vikings were the seafaring Scandinavian people who raided the coasts of northern and western Europe from the eighth through to the tenth century and were known for the ferocity of their attacks. A strong, sturdy, metal helmet would protect a Viking soldier marching into battle.

The helmets were worn by the upper class only and passed on to the next generation to show status and power. They were made of thin metal and did not survive over time. This may be due to the belief that the Viking helmets were probably not made of metal, but of leather or toughened ox-hide. This would explain why other metal artifacts such as swords, parts of shields and parts of horses harnesses have been found, but no helmets. A few of the Viking helmets had spectacle like eye-guards or visors that became obsolete by the eighth century in Britain.