Kulah khud

A kulah khud (known in India as top) is a type of helmet worn by warriors across much of Indo-Persian world from late medieval times onward. Characteristic features are the mail aventail veil, the spike holder on top, and two to three plume holders.

Form and origin
The kulah khud probably originated in Central Asia. They were recorded to be worn by most Indo-Persians of the region, e.g. the Arabs, Persians, Turkish and Indian. They were usually made of steel. A kulah khud is bowl-shaped, either low and flat, or high and pointed. It may contain a spike socket at the top of the helmet, which resembles a spearhead with its cross-like section. Two or three plume holders are attached on either side of the skull, used to mount feathers such as the egret.

The kulah khud has an iron-and-brass or brass-and-copper mail aventail that hangs at the base of the helmet to protect the neck, shoulders, and the temple of the face. Sometimes, the mail aventail extends down to cover the eyes and even the nose. The low end of the mail aventail is often worked in a form of triangular spikes so that they could stay relatively affixed on the front- and back-side of the warrior's shoulder.

A sliding nasal bar made of iron or steel is attached to the front of the helmet with a bracket and can be adjusted in position. When not in use, the nasal bar could be fastened up by a link and hook, or sometimes by a set screw. The two ends of the nasal bar expanded into plates, forming a kind of finial. In some, the lower end of the nasal bar is enormously enlarged in a crescent form so that it covers most of the face below the eyes. There is a rare version of the kulah khud where there are three nasal irons to protect the nose and the cheeks.

Decoration
The kulah khud had a relatively similar identifiable form, but their decoration greatly varies. Parts of the kulah khud, especially the skull and the nasal bar, were heavily decorated with patterned motifs of inlaid brass, silver or gold; or decorated with figural images. A Mughal top helmet features calligraphic inscriptions from Quran, supposedly to protect the wearer from harm or to gain a speedy victory. A top discovered in Gwalior, India, features a skull-and-crossed-bones motif, a sign of European influence. The upper and lower finial of the nasal bar is also the focus of artistic decoration in the kulah khud. One example is an image of the elephant-headed Hindu god Ganesha carved on the upper finial of the nasal bar of a Sikh top.

Revival
Despite modernization of Iran’s military in the nineteenth century, traditional armor continues to be manufactured. In the 19th-century, kulah khud was displayed in military parades; was part of a costume worn in plays with religious or historical theme; or sold as souvenirs to visitors of the country.