Winged helmet

Attic helmets decorated with wings of sheet bronze were worn by the Samnites and other Italic peoples before their conquest by the Roman Republic.

[2]An actual example of this type of Celtic helmet was discovered in Romania, dating to the third century BC: it has a high-mounted crest formed as a bird, possibly an eagle or a raven, with large wings spread out to either side.

The Celts, however, mostly wore plainer helmets of conical or sub-conical shape, such as the 'Montefortino' type later adopted by the Romans.

In modern comic book mythology, this has evolved into the wings present in the helmet or head-portion of the costume of various versions of The Flash, Captain America, and Thor.

Another famous comic character who always wears a winged helmet is Asterix, after the inspiration by various modern paintings and sculptures of the Gallic chieftain Vercingetorix.

A 19th-century ship's figurehead depicting Brennus wearing a winged helmet
Attic helmet with small bronze decorative wings, Southern Italy 4th Century BC
Celtic helmet with a complete winged-bird crest from the 3rd century BC, found at Ciumesti, Romania