The gorget is a part of the armour that protects the neck, throat and upper chest. The word comes from the Old French gorge, which means "throat". Over time, the gorget evolved from soft protection under chainmail to a fully metal collar, and eventually to a symbolic part of military uniforms.
Origins and Early Function
In the High Middle Ages, the neck was primarily protected by chainmail, such as the chainmail coif. Under this chainmail, people often wore a padded layer for extra comfort and protection. During this period, the term gorget didn't refer to a metal part, but rather to this soft protection around the neck.
With the rise of heavier weapons and more powerful attacks, such as mounted lance thrusts, it became clear that the neck remained a vulnerable point. This led to the development of sturdier solutions.
Development in the 14th and 15th Centuries
In the 14th century, the bascinet got its own chain mail aventail, the camail or aventail, which was attached directly to the helmet. Sometimes an extra chain mail collar was worn under it, the so-called standard or pisan.
By the late 14th century, the first form of the metal gorget emerged: a rigid plate construction that could better protect the throat against direct thrusts and blows. In the early 15th century, this protection was further integrated into helmets, such as the large bascinet.
Not all helmets offered complete neck protection. Therefore, some helmets were combined with separate parts:
- The sallet was often worn with a bevor for chin and throat
- The armet had integrated plates that connected to the neck
The gorget developed during this period as an independent part that better covered this vulnerable area.
Fully Developed Plate Armour
At the beginning of the 16th century, the gorget reached its definitive form as part of a complete plate armour.
The gorget then consisted of a front and back plate, connected by hinges on the sides. This allowed it to be easily opened and closed. The neck was protected by a raised collar of multiple overlapping lamellae.
A gorget (pronounced GOR-jit, from the Old French gorge, meaning "throat") was originally a linen band worn around the neck and head of women in the Middle Ages, or the lower part of a simple coif. Later, the term took on military significance and referred to a steel collar that protected the throat, sometimes consisting of multiple plates, or a single plate hanging from the neck that covered both throat and chest.
From the 18th century onwards, the gorget became primarily symbolic, as a decoration on military uniforms, a practice that has persisted in some armies to this day.
Unlike older systems, the gorget was now worn under the cuirass. This provided better fit and protection for:
- the neck and throat
- the shoulders
- the upper chest and upper back
Furthermore, the gorget served as an attachment point for the shoulder pieces (pauldrons), making it a central element in the construction of the armour.
Changes in the 17th Century
In the 17th century, the shape of the gorget changed again. It became simpler and less mobile, with a lower collar and larger chest and back plates.
These gorgets were worn not only under armour, but also over clothing such as a buff coat. Some examples were richly decorated with engravings, gilding or enamel and served as status symbols.
Ceremonial Function
From the late 17th and especially the 18th century onwards, the gorget lost its practical function as protection. It became increasingly smaller and transformed into a symbolic part of military uniforms.
The gorget eventually became a crescent-shaped plate worn on a chain around the neck. Officers wore this as a sign of rank and status, a practice that still exists in some armies today.
Importance and Development
The gorget forms an important link in the evolution of armour. It shows how protection developed from flexible chainmail to complex plate constructions that fit perfectly together.
Where the gorget began as simple neck protection, it grew into an essential connecting piece within complete armour, and ultimately ended as a purely ceremonial symbol of military tradition.
Internal links
- Bevor: Metal Chin and Neck Protection for Armour
- The Cuirass: Medieval Chest and Back Armour
- Standard: Chain Mail Collar for Neck Protection
- Aventail (Camail): Flexible Neck and Face Protection
- Bascinet: Medieval Helmet with Visor and Neck Protection
Sources:
- Visual Source: 17th-century Dutch officer portraits (e.g. Bartholomeus van der Helst), where the gorget (collar ring) is worn purely as a status symbol over a lace collar.
