Artwork Page for Hauberk

Details / Information for Hauberk

Hauberk

c. 1400–1450
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Germany

(?)
Medium
steel and brass rings, riveted with modern buckles and straps
Measurements
Overall: 76.2 cm (30 in.); Sleeves: 43.2 cm (17 in.)
Weight: 11.1 kg (24.47 lbs.)
Credit Line
Gift of John L. Severance 1923.1120
Public Domain
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Location
210A Armor Court
Print
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Did You Know?

Mail was expensive to make and generally only available to warriors of noble birth unless it could be obtained as war booty.

Description

Mail armor was the predominant form of metal body defense for European knights until about 1350. The term derives from the Old French word maille (mesh), implying a protective textile. Each mail garment was constructed of small linked metal rings and "woven" for a specific part of the body. Mail for the torso is a hauberk and typically reached mid-thigh.
A steel-ring shirt and a dark conical helmet form a dense armor set. Six tan leather straps with buckles secure the gray chainmail, which features wide, elbow-length sleeves. Above, the weathered helmet includes a rectangular cutout for the face. Thousands of interlocking rings create a shimmering mesh, while a row of golden-hued brass rings borders the sleeves and bottom hem.

Hauberk

c. 1400–1450

Germany (?)

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