Riveted Round Wire
Product Description
Riveted round maile can be dated back far into antiquity. It was used by the Greeks, Romans, Celts, Germans, Norse, all Medieval Europe and through to the 15th Century when it was replaced by flat link riveted maile.
During the early medieval period, a full shirt (hauberk) was an heirloom to be handed down father to son. The loss of it in battle could signify ruin for a family as it was so costly to replace. Some estimates place it as equal in value to a modern family home today.
In the Bayeux Tapestry it has depictions of shirts being stripped from the dead in the middle of the battle scenes it was so coveted.
Those with a rank less than a knight (men at arms) would wear whatever maile they could get from Bishops Mantles to simple shirts.
Before the reign of Edward I of England a hauberk was one of the requirements of knighthood.
The way maile works is to dissipate the force of a blow. So instead of all the force (and damage) being concentrated along the 1mm edge of the sword, it would spread the force out a few centimetres.
When used with thick leather and a horse hair shirt underneath, it would prevent both this slashing damage and blunt force trauma.
It became obsolete when weapons became bigger and able to deliver more force (damage) that the maile could disperse. So in effect, it would stop the cut, but still break your shoulder or other bone near to it.
During the early medieval period, a full shirt (hauberk) was an heirloom to be handed down father to son. The loss of it in battle could signify ruin for a family as it was so costly to replace. Some estimates place it as equal in value to a modern family home today.
In the Bayeux Tapestry it has depictions of shirts being stripped from the dead in the middle of the battle scenes it was so coveted.
Those with a rank less than a knight (men at arms) would wear whatever maile they could get from Bishops Mantles to simple shirts.
Before the reign of Edward I of England a hauberk was one of the requirements of knighthood.
The way maile works is to dissipate the force of a blow. So instead of all the force (and damage) being concentrated along the 1mm edge of the sword, it would spread the force out a few centimetres.
When used with thick leather and a horse hair shirt underneath, it would prevent both this slashing damage and blunt force trauma.
It became obsolete when weapons became bigger and able to deliver more force (damage) that the maile could disperse. So in effect, it would stop the cut, but still break your shoulder or other bone near to it.
