CASK, or CASQUE, a piece of defensive armour for covering the head and neck; otherwise called the head-piece and helmet. The word is French, casque, from casicum or cassicus, a diminutive of cassis, a helmet. Le Gendre observes, that anciently in France the gens d'armes
all wore casques. The king wore a casque gilt, the dukes and counts silvered, gentlemen of extraction polished steel, and the rest plain iron. The casque is frequently seen on ancient medals, where great varieties in its form and fashion may be observed. F. Joubert makes it the most ancient of all the coverings of the head, as well as the most universal. Kings, emperors, and even gods themselves, are seen with it. That which covers the head of Rome has usually two wings like those of Mercury; and that of some kings is furnished with horns like those of Jupiter Ammon, and sometimes with bull's or ram's horns, to express uncommon force.