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Extant Lamellar Armour Finds
Extant Lamellar Armour Finds
– Looking for the Evidence By Jennifer Baker ( Jenny Baker )
– Looking for the Evidence By Jennifer Baker ( Jenny Baker )
Research Disclaimer : Please note that This Research was done many years ago now :
so the information contained may now be out of date , photos gone missing or web links broken
My apologises : But It has become an impossible task to try and keep it up to date - Jenny
SUMMARY OF FINDS
SUMMARY OF FINDS
Early But Exact Date Unknown Finds – 2 Examples
1st- 3rd Century Finds – 8 Examples
4th - 5th Century Finds – 2 Examples
5th - 6th Century Finds – 9 Examples
7th Century finds - 7 Examples
8th – 9th Century Finds – 6 Examples
10th Century Finds – 6 Examples
11th – 12th Century Finds – 3 Examples
13th - 14th Century Finds – 5 Examples
15th – 17th Century Finds – 4 Examples
Known Finds - But I Could Not Find A Lot Of Details On - 18 Examples
BC FINDS
BC FINDS
The Mycenaeans were wearing lamellar boar tusk helms circa 17th-10th centuries BCE
EARLY BUT EXACT DATE UNKNOWN FINDS
EARLY BUT EXACT DATE UNKNOWN FINDS
Stepps Lamellar / Russian Lamellar : Sankt-Peterburg. Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography named after Peter the Great Russia Academy of Sciences (Cabinet of Curiosities).
Stepps Lamellar / Russian Lamellar : Sankt-Peterburg. Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography named after Peter the Great Russia Academy of Sciences (Cabinet of Curiosities). Pantsir of bony plates
1ST- 3RD CENTURY FINDS
1ST- 3RD CENTURY FINDS
Stepp Lamellar Mongolian: Khara Khotu, Etsin gol - western Inner Mongolia Han Dynasty 25 – 220 AD - 62 Lamellae found in the excavations at Etsin-gol – from Oriental Armour H. Russell Robinson. Page 129 & 130
Stepp Lamellar Mongolian: leather Lamellar Wayen Tore, Etsin gol - western Inner Mongolia Han Dynasty 25 – 220 AD - 62 Lamellae found in the excavations at Etsin-gol – from Oriental Armour H. Russell Robinson. Page 129 & 130
Roman Lamellar: Stapled Lamellar - a piece of original lamellar or "locking scale" owned by David Michaels. It is made of brass and probably dates to the third century AD.
Roman Lamellar: Stapled Lamellar Dura Europos 3rd century AD – from War & Society in the Eastern Mediterranean, 7th – 15th centuries By Yaacov Lev – page 69, Fig 193 A-B (Gallery of Fine Arts, Yale University
Roman Lamellar: Stapled Lamellar Sotin 3rd century AD – from War & Society in the Eastern Mediterranean, 7th – 15th centuries By Yaacov Lev – page 69, Fig 194 A-B
Roman Lamellar: Stapled Lamellar Budapest Hungary 3rd century AD – from War & Society in the Eastern Mediterranean, 7th – 15th centuries By Yaacov Lev – page 69, Fig 195 A-B
Roman Lamellar: leather Lamellar Dura Europos 3rd century AD – from War & Society in the Eastern Mediterranean, 7th – 15th centuries By Yaacov Lev – page 70, Fig 202 (Gallery of Fine Arts, Yale University
Stepps Lamellar Khotanese or Tibetan – leather Lamellar, Niya Turkestan, late 3rd century AD – from War & Society in the Eastern Mediterranean, 7th – 15th centuries By Yaacov Lev – page 70, Fig 203
4TH - 5TH CENTURY FINDS
4TH - 5TH CENTURY FINDS
Korean lamellar : An entire suit of iron lames This suit dates from around the 4th or 5th Century in the Three Kingdom Period and is probably of Baekje Kingdom origin.
in the National War Memorial, Seoul & the National Museum of Korea, Seoul
VV Issue 66 - A full suit of Korean lamellar armour. (notes on Extant finds in Korea by Jeremy Draper )
VV Issue 66 Published : 2004
Korean lamellar : A footman’s outfit - 4th C.
several suits in the National War Memorial, Seoul & the National Museum of Korea, Seoul
VV Issue 66 - A full suit of Korean lamellar armour. (notes on Extant finds in Korea by Jeremy Draper )
VV Issue 66 Published : 2004
5TH - 6TH CENTURY FINDS
5TH - 6TH CENTURY FINDS
Byzantine Lamellar : Early Byzantine Lamellar Armour From Carthago Spartaria (Cartagena, Spain) 5th - 6th century - write up has some lovley photos of the lames
Byzantine Lamellar :Early Byzantine site Svetinja at Viminacium 6th century
Avar Lamellar : Kertch (Crimea), Ukraine. Avarian, later 5th century (post 457AD). Ref. Thordeman, 1939. Held: State Historical Museum, Moscow. Note - possibly a mixture of lacing systems.
Also in War & Society in the Eastern Mediterranean, 7th – 15th centuries By Yaacov Lev – page 69, Fig 196 A-E
Frankish Lamellar : Krefeld-Gellup, Germany. Grave 2589, Frankish, 6th century.
Ref. Pirling, 1986. Held: Landschaftsmuseums Burg-Linn, Krefeld Germany.
For more info on this ( in Czech)
Photographs of preserved remnants of armour
outside view
inside view
Roman Lamellar ?: Lamellar Khirgiz 6th – 9th century AD – from War & Society in the Eastern Mediterranean, 7th – 15th centuries By Yaacov Lev – page 68, Fig 192 A-C
Stepp Lamellar ? : Dchittigarinsk Western Siberia 5th Century AD – from War & Society in the Eastern Mediterranean, 7th – 15th centuries By Yaacov Lev – page 69, Fig 197 A-B
Stepp Lamellar ? : Kurdeigeh Altai Region Eastern Turkey 6th – 10th century AD – from War & Society in the Eastern Mediterranean, 7th – 15th centuries By Yaacov Lev – page 69, Fig 198
Stepp Lamellar : Leather Lamellar Turfan Turkenstan –Tang Dynasty 618-907 A.D – from Oriental Armour H. Russell Robinson. Page 143
Lamellar armor from Tatar Mohilek, Altayskiy region - 6th century
for more info ( in czech) Website Link
7TH CENTURY FINDS
7TH CENTURY FINDS
Lombardic / Byzantine Lamellar : Castel Trosino, Italy. Tomb 119, Lombardic, early 7th century.
Refs. Arena and Paroli, 1993; Thordeman, 1939. Held: Museo dell’Alto Medioevo, Rome. Note - reconstruction drawing of entire panoply displayed at museum.
– also in War & Society in the Eastern Mediterranean, 7th – 15th centuries By Yaacov Lev – page 70, Fig 201
Avar Lamellar : Niederstotzingen, Germany. ?Grave 12b/c, Alamannic, 7th century. Refs. Pirling, 1986 (includes reconstruction drawing of cuirass with skirt); Roth, 1979. Held: Württembergisches Landesmuseum, Stuttgart.
Notes: looks like there was a discussion and some photos posted of what may be the original helmets and Lamellar found at Niederstotzingen ( its in polish - so I am have a bit of hard time with google translator) posting is towards the bottom of the page
also mentioned in Article Link
Avar Lamellar : Two lamellar helmets from an Avarian tomb at Kertch, Crimea (State Historical Museum, Moscow).
found a photo link to the Lamellar helmet from Grave 12 of the Migration era cemetery at Niederstotzingen.
other finds from the grave (lamellar armour, horses with Arabic blood)
link to the photos was via the roman army talk forum
Hungarian Lamellar : Grave 121, Homokmégy-Halom, Hungary - late 7th-8th cent.
From Byzantine Lamellar Armour: Conjectural Reconstruction of a Find from the Great Palace in Istanbul, Based on Early Medieval Parallels by Peter Beatson - NVG Mikligard
Avar Lamellar : Kunszentmarton Hungary 7th Century AD – from War & Society in the Eastern Mediterranean, 7th – 15th centuries By Yaacov Lev – page 69, Fig 199
Sassanian / Islamic Lamellar : Kasr-i-Abu Nasr Iran / Qasr-i-Abu Nasr Iran Late Saaanian /oe early Islamic mid 7th century – from War & Society in the Eastern Mediterranean, 7th – 15th centuries By Yaacov Lev – page 69 & 70, Fig 200
Armour vendel period of grave Valsgärde 8, Sweden
for more information ( in Czech) http://livinghistory.cz/node/52
8TH – 9TH CENTURY FINDS
8TH – 9TH CENTURY FINDS
Korean lamellar : A later find, from the Anapji Pond - around 8th-9thC
several suits in the National War Memorial, Seoul & the National Museum of Korea, Seoul
VV Issue 66 - A full suit of Korean lamellar armour. (notes on Extant finds in Korea by Jeremy Draper )
VV Issue 66 Published : 2004
Stepp Lamellar / Tibetan : – leather Lamellar, Miram Tibet 8 – 9th Century AD – from War & Society in the Eastern Mediterranean, 7th – 15th centuries By Yaacov Lev – page 70, Fig 204A-B
Stepp Lamellar / Tibetan : Tibetan iron lamellar coat and helmet, ninth century (The Board of Trustees of the Royal Armouries, No. XXVIA- 18). Example of 3 -way skirt in lamellar.
Stepp Lamellar / Tibetan : Tibetan iron lamellar for man and horse, ninth century (The Board of Trustees of the Royal Armouries, No. XXVIA-157, 186).
Lamellar armor of Bek-Bike, West Kazakhstan dated to 9th to 10th century ADfound 1948( Translation of the text Czech to english )The most interesting part is finding buried warrior armor, sword and armor plate. . Armour had long "shirt" cut sleeveless can be fastened on the back and reached nearly to the knees. Armor Dimensions - length 1.1 m, width 40 cm at shoulder level, the bottom width 60...cm. The lower part of the armor has been translated and formed a band of four rows of blades.Armour was composed of iron plates elongated shape with a rounded top edge. Size was 6.5 x3, 5 cm in thickness and 1.5 mm. The lower edge of the blades had a rectangular shape and was fitted with three symmetrically spaced holes. A pair of similar holes were placed in the middle of longer sides of blades. In the middle of each blade was forged spherical "umbo" in diameter and 1 cm. Epaulettes are made up of six arched curved blades size 12x7cm, three on each shoulderfor more information on this http://livinghistory.cz/node/33
Mohylník Balyk Sook-I Altai Ursula. Kurgan 11 - tomb dated to the 8th - 1st half of the 9th century. contains unique staroturecký funeral, including a complete multi-plate armor, though preserved in very good condition.
for more info ( in Czech) Website Link
10TH CENTURY FINDS
10TH CENTURY FINDS
Viking Lamellar : Börg (the fortress), Birka, Sweden.
From Byzantine Lamellar Armour: Conjectural Reconstruction of a Find from the Great Palace in Istanbul, Based on Early Medieval Parallels by Peter Beatson - NVG Mikligard
Rus Lamellar : Doneshkoe gorodishe, Russia - 950-1250AD
From Byzantine Lamellar Armour: Conjectural Reconstruction of a Find from the Great Palace in Istanbul, Based on Early Medieval Parallels by Peter Beatson - NVG Mikligard
Birka Lamellar: Carved Antler showing helmeted warrior in lamellar, Birka ninth-tenth century (National Museum of Antiquities, Stockholm).
Stepp Lamellar Yunnan : Leather-laced plate and lamellar from Yunnan, eighth-thirteenth century (The Board of Trustees of the Royal Armouries, No. XXVIA-161).
Stepp Lamellar: leather Lamellar San Poo, Chinese Turkestan tenth-thirteenth century ???
Stepp Lamellar : Iron lamellar find from San Pao, East Turkestan, tenth-thirteenth century.
Stepp Lamellar : Single iron lamellae from Etsin Gol, East Turkestan, tenth-thirteenth century.
11TH – 12TH CENTURY FINDS
11TH – 12TH CENTURY FINDS
Rus Lamellar : Medieval Novgorod ( circa 11th – 12th century) - Many varieties of metal artifacts have been uncovered at Novgorod - labled as Plate Armour buts is ( its near the bottom of the page - lots of photos so it takes a while to get to it )
Rus Lamellar : Medieval Russian Armour workshop in Gomiy ( circa 11th – 12th century)
- Armor plates make up the largest part of the find. These lie in no apparent order. Fabric imprints can be found of many plates, which probably means that they were wrapped in fabric or stored in a cloth bag. The plates vary greatly, with different curvatures, shapes, and numbers and positions of holes. It is impossible to fully describe the classification of this highly interesting collection, but it is worth noting that the plates have been classified into 3 groups, 41 sections, 24 types, 20 classes and 40 variants (the classification is still being perfected).
The Gomiy collection of plates is positively the largest such find in pre-Mongol Russia.
Byzantine Lamellar Armour : Great Palace, Istanbul, ‘Find No. 292.
Found in Ec VI 3 in the debris covering the paved street. A quantity (more than 200 pieces) of fragments of strip armour. Large numbers had been fused together by fire, and in the process of cleaning a coin of Manuel I (A.D. 1143-80) was found sticking to a group of fragments.
From Byzantine Lamellar Armour: Conjectural Reconstruction of a Find from the Great Palace in Istanbul, Based on Early Medieval Parallels by Peter Beatson - NVG Mikligard
Italian Lamellar: Carved relief, early twelfth century, north door of Church of St. Nicholas, Bari. Italy
13TH - 14TH CENTURY FINDS
13TH - 14TH CENTURY FINDS
Stepps Lamellar : 14th Century Armour from Tana - Azak-Tana was the contact zone between the civilizations of Byzantium, Italy, the Golden Horde, and Russia
Stepps Lamellar : another one showing it on the body - Western Kazakhtan XIV c., Golden Horde period
Rus Lamellar : 13/14th century Russian
Swedish Lamellar : Visby Sweden Visby Gotland - 1361
Swedish Lamellar : Armour of iron lamellae Visby Sweden Visby Gotland No. 25, Common Grave 2, Wisby fourteenth century (Antikvarisktopografiska arkivet, Stockholm).
15TH – 17 TH CENTURY FINDS
15TH – 17 TH CENTURY FINDS
Turkish Mail & Plate Armour : 15th century
Szechwan Lamellar : Leather lamellar armour from Szechwan, used up to early twentieth century (The Board of Trustees of the Royal Armouries, No. XXVIA-106).
Stepp Lamellar Tibetan: armor and helmet Iron and leather, possibly 16th–17th century
Stepp Lamellar Tibetan: Tibetan lamellar armor and helmet from the late 1700's
KNOWN FINDS - BUT I COULD NOT FIND A LOT OF DETAILS ON
KNOWN FINDS - BUT I COULD NOT FIND A LOT OF DETAILS ON
from diagram picture of lamellar at ASK website Website Link
Tibet ( several sets)
Derge Tibet
Gyantse Monastery Tibet
Niari Tibet
Darjeeling India
Siberia (Chukcchian)
Naiman Mongolia
Izu Japan
Idalion Cyprus
Amathus Cyprus
Lisht Egypt
Saaanid Lamellar: Rock bas-relief of Sassanid monarch Choroes 11, Taq-i-Bustan, Iran.
Stepp Lamellar : Tibetan iron lamellar armour (Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography, St. Petersburg).
Stepp Lamellar : Chukchi iron lamellar armour (Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography, St. Petersburg).
Stepp Lamellar : Chukchi bone lamellar armour (Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography, St. Petersburg).
Stepp Lamellar : Tibetan lamellar cuirass (Ethnographical Museum, Stockholm).
Szechwan Lamellar: Leather lamellar from Szechwan (Museum fuer Voelkerkunde, Dresden)
Lamellar fragment from Idalion, Cyprus (Cyprus collection, Stockholm.)
Construction methods
Construction methods
VV Issue 23 - Banded lamellar (construction notes by Tim Dawson – Byzantine picture as source)
VV Issue 23 Published : 1992
VV Issue 33 - A sleeve and shoulder arrangement for hanging lamellar (construction notes by Craig Sitch – period statue & pictures as source)
VV Issue 33 Published : 1994
VV Issue 38 - A look at lamellar (construction notes by John Sultana – period statue & pictures as source)
VV Issue 38 Published : 1996
VV Issue 49 - Byzantine lamellar armour – Conjectural reconstruction of a find - (construction notes by Peter Beatson – based on extant finds as a source)
VV Issue 49 Published : 1998
VV Issue 60 - Making a hardened leather lamellar - (construction notes by Steven Baker )
VV Issue 60 Published : 2002
ASK website Website Link
1st Published : 20 Oct 2011 Page Updated : 10 Sept 2020 © Looking for the Evidence : Jennifer Baker ( Jenny Baker )
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