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| Fig. 15. Vakhtang Gurieli (after Castelli 1976, pl. 44). |
Fig. 16. Mamia Gurieli (after Castelli 1976, pl. 43). |
Fig. 17. Sabakhtar Avalishvili (after Castelli 1976, pl. 48). |
The Italian missionary Don Cristoforo de Castelli resided and was active in Georgia during the years 1624-1654. His drawings are a unique source of information about the Georgia of his time. The helmets, represented in Castelli's album, bear great resemblance to the Wawel helmet, practically repeating Tavakarashvili's miniatures (fig. 15-16; Castelli 1967, pl. 43-44, 48). Like Tavakarashvili's miniatures, Georgian helmets depicted by Castelli bear traces of a later modification and are characterized by a lengthened neck guard. The helmets are also additionally furnished with a flag and a crest. In other respects Castelli's drawings reveal surprising resemblance to the helmet under consideration.
The information provided in these sources is interesting from another viewpoint as well: in most cases Castelli describes western Georgia, and Tavakarashvili, too, was active in this part of the country. Therefore in their works they both reflect the reality of Western Georgia. Unlike Eastern Georgia, its Western counterpart never experienced Mongol-Persian influence. The fact that Wawel type helmet is most highly developed in Western Georgia cannot be accounted for by the possible Mongolian provenance and Persian influence.
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Similar artistic treatment can be noticed in Castell's album too. He portrays Georgian historical figures with their faces open, so all of them wear Wawel-type helmets. But the same helmet, suspended from Sabakhtar Avalishvili's saddle pommel, is equipped with an aventail which covers the whole face except the eyes (fig. 17).
Source: pp.94-95, The Helmet from the Wawel Royal Castle Museum and its Place in the Evolution of Oriental Helmet by Mamuka Tsurtsumia