No fewer than 44 trophy sculptures are arranged on pedestals inside the roof balustrade and surround the Zeughaus. The south, east and west sides each have twelve figures, and there are eight on the north side. The public display of trophies dates back to ancient times. Back then, displaying enemy armour and weapons captured in war was considered proof of victory. In the early modern period, many artists took up this motif. Sculptors used it on public representative structures, such as city gates and military buildings, as well as on palaces.
The individual trophies of the Berlin Zeughaus each consists of a helmet, armour and weapons. The trophies are fully sculpted. Seen from close up, they reveal a wealth of detail that one wouldn’t expect given their location. The helmets are adorned with feathered crests and mythical creatures, and the individual elements of the armour and weapons are finely worked. Even the trophy stands, which we see in place of heads, are intended to be seen, and show a variety of design.
