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Source Description
The mail (from the Latin word for mesh) worn by the Romans was made from interlocking iron rings, but the development during the Middle Ages of the capacity to refine iron into steel-harder and more durable than iron-meant higher quality armor as well as weapons. A typical shirt has about 30,000 rings, each individually riveted, and might weigh about 16 or 17 pounds. A shirt of mail was worn over a padded garment to protect the skin and soften the effect of a blow. It is more flexible than plate armor but is heavier for the wearer because all the weight is suspended from the shoulders. Mail was gradually replaced by plate armor in the 14th century, though it continued to be worn by some infantry soldiers and to fill gaps in a knight's armor.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
24747
label
Mail
core
obj
dtoType
object
citationUrl
pageCount
2
Source metadata
id
24747
sourceUrl
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Mail
description
The mail (from the Latin word for mesh) worn by the Romans was made from interlocking iron rings, but the development during the Middle Ages of the capacity to refine iron into steel-harder and more durable than iron-meant higher quality armor as well as weapons. A typical shirt has about 30,000 rings, each individually riveted, and might weigh about 16 or 17 pounds. A shirt of mail was worn over a padded garment to protect the skin and soften the effect of a blow. It is more flexible than plate armor but is heavier for the wearer because all the weight is suspended from the shoulders. Mail was gradually replaced by plate armor in the 14th century, though it continued to be worn by some infantry soldiers and to fill gaps in a knight's armor.
provenance
Naples [said to be found in an ancient wall]; Sale, New York, November 14, 1921, no. 265; Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1921, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
date
15th century (Late Medieval)
citationUrl
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
Arms & Armor
mail
armor
imageCount
2
pageCount
2
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
88.4
height
63.4
depth
22.2
dimensionsRaw
34 13/16 x 24 15/16 x 8 3/4 in. (88.4 x 63.4 x 22.2 cm)
Source extras
med
steel
creator_ids
33562
collection_ids
ARM
REN
exhibition_ids
none
Page inventory
seq
1
type
photo
mediaId
8f98cc1b40cc2d02
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
2
type
photo
mediaId
a0a23b8d2162e706
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no