Chain mail chausses, flat rings wedge rivets, 8 mm

Product description

Chainmail chausses were the standard metal leg protection in Europe from the 9th century until the early 14th century. They provided flexible protection against most weapons but were gradually replaced by iron plate armor in the second half of the 13th century. The earliest examples date from the 9th century — including a chainmail-covered foot found in the Kyulevcha catacombs in Bulgaria. Byzantine art shows calf-length chainmail chausses in Tokali Kilise (10th century) and Karanlik Kilise (11th century). Full chainmail chausses were likely already in use at the start of the 9th century, spreading via the Danube or Italy — as seen in the Stuttgart Psalter. One of the most famous depictions in Western Europe appears on the Bayeux Tapestry (1066–1083), where William the Conqueror and other knights wear them. By around 1200, chainmail chausses were nearly standard equipment for knights and men-at-arms.

Made from 1.8 mm wide natural flat rings with an inner diameter of 8 mm, these chain mail chausses cover the entire leg. The rings are woven in a four-in-one pattern and secured with wedge rivets. They measure 118 cm long, 60 cm wide at the top, and 46 cm wide at the bottom. Total weight: 5 kg.