For those looking for more images like the one at the start of the article, the book linked there has a lot [0]. Also interesting to see the full armor. I was sure at first that those were ceremonial, but apparently they were actually being used.
It blows my mind that "Polynesian Football" might refer to "American Football" and not "Rugby Football" (or perhaps even "Aussie Rules Football"), so I guess TIL
Need is the mother of invention. I think that in
"The Fabulous Riverboat" people used dragon fish (whatever that is) for armour.
These are entirely artistic/ceremonial objects. Someone found a dried out pufferfish and then realized they could make a badass looking hat out of it, they did, and the meme stuck. insert quasi-religious cultural narrative here after it's passed down a few generations.
Well, a need for badass head gear is still a need. Maybe gods like you better that way.