Artwork Page for Hauberk

Details / Information for Hauberk

Hauberk

1400s

European, 15th century

Medium
riveted steel rings; close woven
Measurements
Overall: 110.5 cm (43 1/2 in.)
Weight: 10 kg (22.05 lbs.)
Credit Line
Gift of John L. Severance 1916.1552
Public Domain
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Location
210A Armor Court
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Did You Know?

Mail provided excellent defense against the sword cut, though only limited defense against crushing blows from weapons like the mace or the battle axe.

Description

By the early 1400s the hauberk was being worn as an accessory to supplement full or partial plate armor. It offered a secondary level of protection for areas not fully covered by plate armor, such as the armpit and groin. The making of chainmail involved the linking of thousands of small rings of steel.
A dark gray riveted steel mail shirt features a dense, close-woven texture of thousands of interlocking rings. This vertically oriented garment includes a high, upright collar and short sleeves. Its surface has a muted, matte finish, with a center split at the bottom hem. The repetitive ring pattern creates a uniform, scale-like appearance, catching light along the shoulders and chest while shadows deepen within the small, metallic links.

Hauberk

1400s

European, 15th century

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