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Tibetan Lamellar Armour, or Chainmail?

Started by Dangun, January 27, 2018, 06:11:39 AM

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Dangun

Quote from: Duncan Head on January 29, 2018, 04:40:07 PM
I'm not sure I would make that assumption. And whichever came first, I would not be at all surprised if both were in use together for most of the "Imperial" period, perhaps even with lamellar worn over mail.

The assumption may not be appropriate for our period. Unlikely even, given the literary references.
But it is striking how much late medieval lamellar has survived, relative to mail.

Dangun

Quote from: Duncan Head on January 29, 2018, 09:21:11 AM
and recently a couple of cavalrymen illustrated on a painted coffin-panel who seem to be wearing lamellar.

I find it quite difficult to tell whether the two cavalryman are illustrated wearing chain or lamellar.
Perhaps because the rider of the brown horse is bent at the waist, and the lines of his armour do not remain parallel I would lean toward lamellar.
(An illustrator might not see a bend in chainmail in the same way.)

Whichever it is, it is interesting that one of the two horses is also covered with it. But only one of the two.

Interestingly the spear is used two handed, palms facing away, above the shoulder.

PS: the author refers to the wrong panel on p. 128. That took 10mins to figure out.

Dangun

PPS: I spoke to the author - Amy Heller - and there are no better scans available of that coffin lid.

:(