Medieval bascinet helmet and chainmail

The Medieval Basinet

A basinet is a kind of headpiece or helmet, and the word itself is a diminutive form of the word ‘basin’. Originally, the small basinet consisted of a peaked, open cap made of light material. These were either used with the heavier ‘heaume’, or simply by themselves. A ‘heaume’ was a medieval helmet of significant size which was supported by the wearer’s shoulders and head. By the end of the 13th century, the gigantic heaume was phased out as the basinet evolved into a more complete headdress for battle.

The basinet was considered a ‘true headpiece’, as its weight was placed on the wearer’s shoulders and didn’t cover the head, as opposed to the heaume. This later form of the basinet was heavier and larger than previous forms, and it also included a fixed visor; later headdresses, like the armet, would include a pivoting visor and would come to international dominance in battle during the 15th century. The visor was adjustable to allow for better breathing and vision. The visor was closed during battle for protection. A mail hood, or a ‘camail’, connected the basinet to the gorget, which completely covered the vulnerable neck and head areas. The face was also protected by a complete, heavy enclosure. The front side of the basinet is sometimes compared to an animal’s muzzle. The peaked crowd distinguishes the basinet from other forms of headdresses. The word ‘basinet’ also has various spellings, such as ‘bassinet’, ‘basnet’, ‘bacinet’ or ‘bascinet’.