# Tibetan Monks Headgear-Copy of Greek Soldier's Helmets? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 9, 2013, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tibetan-monks-headgear-copy-of-greek-soldiers-helmets/673515 "2013-11-09T16:38:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tibetan-monks-headgear-copy-of-greek-soldiers-helmets/673515/1 "2013-11-09T16:38:38Z")
Link: [http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.bbc.co.uk/dorset/content/images/2009/06/05/tibetan\_lama\_hat\_203\_203x152.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.bbc.co.uk/dorset/content/articles/2009/06/05/tibetan\_lama\_visit\_feature.shtml&h=152&w=203&sz=15&tbnid=7JAXB2IcwEJYyM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=120&zoom=1&usg=\_\_E13ZM6kK2OEdx88iXGegEVTnCdY=&docid=nzcWY0gpqRlpZM&sa=X&ei=cmR-UqOeH\_PLsQTBiIKQAQ&ved=0CDQQ9QEwAw](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.bbc.co.uk/dorset/content/images/2009/06/05/tibetan_lama_hat_203_203x152.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.bbc.co.uk/dorset/content/articles/2009/06/05/tibetan_lama_visit_feature.shtml&h=152&w=203&sz=15&tbnid=7JAXB2IcwEJYyM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=120&zoom=1&usg=__E13ZM6kK2OEdx88iXGegEVTnCdY=&docid=nzcWY0gpqRlpZM&sa=X&ei=cmR-UqOeH_PLsQTBiIKQAQ&ved=0CDQQ9QEwAw) Many years ago, I read that some of Alexander the Great’s soldiers reached Tibet-and that their clothing was copied by the Buddhist monks. Is there any evidence of this? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tibetan-monks-headgear-copy-of-greek-soldiers-helmets/673515/2 "2013-11-09T17:53:03Z")
[Maybe they got to Hawaii too.](http://www.beachcomberpete.com/travelogue/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Statue-of-King-Kamehameha-the-Great-Hawaii.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tibetan-monks-headgear-copy-of-greek-soldiers-helmets/673515/3 "2013-11-09T18:06:39Z")
I think that the essential limits of headwear coupled with its varied functions will lead to a small number of useful variations, which cultures are likely to discover and rediscover independently. The idea that only one culture could come up with, say, crested helmets or pyramids or pictographs and all other instances of it must be from cultural transmission is pretty silly. ---
**Author:** ![Steken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tibetan-monks-headgear-copy-of-greek-soldiers-helmets/673515/4 "2013-11-10T10:59:04Z")
Buddhism reached Tibet in the 7th century AD. Alexander died in 323 BC. ETA: lolwut ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tibetan-monks-headgear-copy-of-greek-soldiers-helmets/673515/5 "2013-11-10T11:05:48Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > [Maybe they got to Hawaii too.](http://www.beachcomberpete.com/travelogue/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Statue-of-King-Kamehameha-the-Great-Hawaii.jpg) [And Pakistan](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pakistani_Ranger.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tibetan-monks-headgear-copy-of-greek-soldiers-helmets/673515/6 "2013-11-10T11:41:10Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > [And Pakistan](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pakistani_Ranger.jpg) Well…[actually](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Greeks) e[rrrr maybe](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Ancient_Greek_sites_in_Pakistan) ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tibetan-monks-headgear-copy-of-greek-soldiers-helmets/673515/7 "2013-11-10T14:11:52Z")
Come on, they wear only a simple robe and own only a bowl, you gotta give them something! Why not funny hats?