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78-637: Comprising the small river valleys of the Migmakhevi , Shatili , Arkhoti and the Aragvi , the province borders with Ingushetia and Chechnya and is included in the present-day Dusheti Municipality , Mtskheta-Mtianeti region. Khevsureti, with the area of approximately 405.3 square miles (1050 km²), is traversed by the main crest of the Greater Caucasus Range, dividing the province in two unequal parts. Pirikita Khevsureti ("thither")

156-572: A comparison of these two censuses would be a tricky and to some extent pointless exercise. For what it is worth, however, such a comparison does confirm a process of rural exodus during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries whereby the Khevsurs seem to have abandoned isolated or higher-altitude settlements and moved down-valley to live in villages benefiting from more clement climatic conditions (or perhaps even to live in towns further afield). Although these figures must of course be taken with

234-684: A decorative and possibly high-status symbol with military overtones long after its practical usefulness had passed. It was frequently used for the epaulettes of military uniforms. It is still used in this form by some regiments of the British Army . Mail has applications in sculpture and jewellery, especially when made out of precious metals or colourful anodized metals. Mail artwork includes headdresses, decorative wall hangings, ornaments, chess sets, macramé, and jewelry. For these non-traditional applications, hundreds of patterns (commonly referred to as "weaves") have been invented. Large-linked mail

312-580: A greater use of cruciform decorative motifs. The architecture of Khevsureti is mostly highly fortified and defensive in character, featuring a profusion of towers clinging to the mountainsides, signifying constant vigilance in the face of enemy attack. The Khevsurs were renowned for their warfare with the (mostly Muslim ) peoples of the Northern Caucasus including the Chechens , the Kists , and

390-406: A hood is a mail coif , and mittens, mitons . A mail collar hanging from a helmet is a camail or aventail . A shirt made from mail is a hauberk if knee-length and a haubergeon if mid-thigh length. A layer (or multiple layers) of mail sandwiched between layers of fabric is called a jazerant . A waist-length coat in medieval Europe was called a byrnie, although the exact construction of a byrnie

468-422: A mail fringe to be attached to helmets to protect the upper face. This proved unpopular with soldiers, in spite of being proven to defend against a three-ounce (85 g) shrapnel round fired at a distance of one hundred yards (91 m). Another invention, a "splatter mask" or "splinter mask", consisted of rigid upper face protection and a mail veil to protect the lower face, and was used by early tank crews as

546-426: A majority of the skeletons showed wounds on less well protected legs. Although mail was a formidable protection, due to technological advances as time progressed, mail worn under plate armour (and stand-alone mail as well) could be penetrated by the conventional weaponry of another knight. The flexibility of mail meant that a blow would often injure the wearer, potentially causing serious bruising or fractures, and it

624-582: A measure against flying steel fragments ( spalling ) inside the vehicle. Mail armour was introduced to the Middle East and Asia through the Romans and was adopted by the Sassanid Persians starting in the 3rd century AD, where it was supplemental to the scale and lamellar armour already used. Mail was commonly also used as horse armour for cataphracts and heavy cavalry as well as armour for

702-469: A pinch of salt (in the sense that they are based upon data whose reliability is unproven and debatable to say the least), a comparison between the two years (1873 and 1935) reveals Some disobedience offered by the Khevsurs to the Soviet ideology was a reason for obligatory migration to the plain initiated by the government in 1951. As a result, many high-mountainous villages were deserted. Economic hardship of

780-497: A rivet. Its invention is credited to Fukushima Dembei Kunitaka, pupil, of Hojo Awa no Kami Ujifusa, but it is also said to be derived directly from foreign models. It is heavy because the links are tinned (biakuro-nagashi) and these are also sharp-edged because they are punched out of iron plate Butted or split (twisted) links made up the majority of kusari links used by the Japanese. Links were either butted together meaning that

858-533: A sheet. Guild marks were often stamped on the rings to show their origin and craftsmanship. Forge welding was also used to create solid links, but there are few possible examples known; the only well-documented example from Europe is that of the camail (mail neck-defence) of the 7th-century Coppergate Helmet found in York . Outside of Europe this practice was more common such as "theta" links from India. Very few examples of historic butted mail have been found, and it

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936-499: A single mail glove to protect themselves from self-inflicted injury while cutting meat, as do many oyster shuckers. Scuba divers sometimes use mail to protect them from sharkbite, as do animal control officers for protection against the animals they handle. In 1980, marine biologist Jeremiah Sullivan patented his design for Neptunic full coverage chain mail shark resistant suits which he had developed for close encounters with sharks . Shark expert and underwater filmmaker Valerie Taylor

1014-479: A thinner weapon to surpass), and ring thickness (generally ranging from 1.0 to 1.6 mm diameter (18 to 14 gauge) wire in most examples). Mail, if a warrior could afford it, provided a significant advantage when combined with competent fighting techniques. When the mail was not riveted, a thrust from most sharp weapons could penetrate it. However, when mail was riveted, only a strong well-placed thrust from certain spears, or thin or dedicated mail-piercing swords like

1092-530: Is a historic highland village in Georgia , near the border with Chechnya . It is located on the northern slope of the Greater Caucasus mountains, in the historical Georgian province of Upper Khevsureti , which is now part of the modern-day region ( mkhare ) of Mtskheta-Mtianeti . As of 2014 census, population of the village was 22. Located in the deep Arghuni gorge at approximate 1,400 meters,

1170-467: Is a larger one, with the area of c. 565 km², while Piraketa Khevsureti ("hither") occupies 428 km². The largest villages are Barisakho and Shatili . The territory of Khevsureti, together with the neighboring area of Pshavi , was known to medieval writers under the joint designation Pkhovi or in the Georgian language : ფხოვი. Chronicler Leonti Mroveli mentions that after the conversion of

1248-541: Is a unique mixture of Georgian Orthodox Christianity and pre-Christian cults. They worship sacred places locally known as jvari (“cross’), khati (“icon”) or salotsavi (“sanctuary”). Aside from their religious character, these were the sites where the locals discussed and decided common matters such as raids against enemies, peace-making, appeals of various characters, etc. Even during the Soviet period, with its harsh restrictions against any religious activities, each year

1326-469: Is commonly credited to the Celts , but there are examples of Etruscan pattern mail dating from at least the 4th century BC. Mail may have been inspired by the much earlier scale armour . Mail spread to North Africa, West Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, India, Tibet, South East Asia, and Japan. Herodotus wrote that the ancient Persians wore scale armour, but mail is also distinctly mentioned in

1404-520: Is completely preserved in its architectural forms, materials, location and other necessary attributes. The physical condition of the buildings can be characterised as good. At a national level, Shatili might be compared with the Upper Svaneti World Heritage site. Both properties are unique in the region, due to their isolation. The only direct comparisons at a wider extent that might be made would be with isolated communities in

1482-585: Is designed to defend against knife attacks; some of these use layers of metal plates, mail and metallic wires. Many historical reenactment groups, especially those whose focus is Antiquity or the Middle Ages , commonly use mail both as practical armour and for costuming. Mail is especially popular amongst those groups which use steel weapons. A modern hauberk made from 1.5 mm diameter wire with 10 mm inner diameter rings weighs roughly 10 kg (22 lb) and contains 15,000–45,000 rings. One of

1560-606: Is generally accepted that butted mail was never in wide use historically except in Japan, where mail ( kusari ) was commonly made from butted links. Butted link mail was also used by the Moros of the Philippines in their mail and plate armours . Mail is used as protective clothing for butchers against meat-packing equipment. Workers may wear up to 4 kg (8.8 lb) of mail under their white coats. Butchers also commonly wear

1638-482: Is historically inaccurate but is much less expensive to procure and especially to maintain than historically accurate reproductions. Mail can also be made of titanium, aluminium, bronze, or copper. Riveted mail offers significantly better protection ability as well as historical accuracy than mail constructed with butted links. Japanese mail ( kusari ) is one of the few historically correct examples of mail being constructed with such butted links . Mail remained in use as

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1716-472: Is occasionally used as BDSM clothing material, with the large links intended for fetishistic purposes. Chainmail armor is one of the armor tiers from Minecraft , which can only be obtained from chest loot or some mobs. In some films, knitted string spray-painted with a metallic paint is used instead of actual mail in order to cut down on cost (an example being Monty Python and the Holy Grail , which

1794-538: Is that it originally derives from the Latin word macula , meaning 'spot' or 'opacity' (as in macula of retina ). Another theory relates the word to the old French maillier , meaning 'to hammer' (related to the modern English word malleable ). In modern French, maille refers to a loop or stitch. The Arabic words burnus ( برنوس ' burnoose , a hooded cloak', also a chasuble worn by Coptic priests) and barnaza ( برنز 'to bronze') suggest an Arabic influence for

1872-473: Is thought to have been worn by Leopold III, Duke of Austria , who died in 1386 during the Battle of Sempach . By the 14th century, articulated plate armour was commonly used to supplement mail. Eventually mail was supplanted by plate for the most part, as it provided greater protection against windlass crossbows, bludgeoning weapons, and lance charges while maintaining most of the mobility of mail. However, it

1950-520: Is unclear, including whether it was constructed of mail or other armour types. Noting that the byrnie was the "most highly valued piece of armour" to the Carolingian soldier, Bennet, Bradbury, DeVries, Dickie, and Jestice indicate that: There is some dispute among historians as to what exactly constituted the Carolingian byrnie. Relying... only on artistic and some literary sources because of

2028-760: The Abbasid Caliphate , mail was quickly adopted in Central Asia by Timur (Tamerlane) and the Sogdians and by India's Delhi Sultanate . Mail armour was introduced by the Turks in late 12th century and commonly used by Turk and the Mughal and Suri armies where it eventually became the armour of choice in India. Indian mail was constructed with alternating rows of solid links and round riveted links and it

2106-519: The Avesta , the holy scripture of the Zoroastrian religion that written in the 6th century AD. Mail continues to be used in the 21st century as a component of stab-resistant body armour , cut-resistant gloves for butchers and woodworkers, shark-resistant wet-suits for defense against shark bites, and a number of other applications. The origin of the word mail are not fully known. One theory

2184-607: The eponymous hero of which is a Khevsur youth, famous for his bravery and warrior skills. One day, after the Khevsur village of Shatili , where he lived, had been invaded by the Kists (historical name for the Nakh peoples ), Aluda followed the invaders and killed both of the robbers. However, after killing the 'Kist' called Mussah , Aluda began to weep, mourning for the warrior, in recognition of his bravery and dedication to his Muslim faith. When Aluda returned to Shatili he confessed to

2262-423: The estoc , could penetrate, and a pollaxe or halberd blow could break through the armour. Strong projectile weapons such as stronger self bows , recurve bows , and crossbows could also penetrate riveted mail. Some evidence indicates that during armoured combat, the intention was to actually get around the armour rather than through it—according to a study of skeletons found at the battle of Visby , Gotland,

2340-726: The 3rd century BC and the 16th century AD in Europe, while it continued to be used in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East as late as the 17th century. A coat of this armour is often called a hauberk or sometimes a byrnie. The earliest examples of surviving mail were found in the Carpathian Basin at a burial in Horný Jatov, Slovakia dated in the 3rd century BC, and in a chieftain's burial located in Ciumești , Romania . Its invention

2418-767: The ABS mail used in the Lord of the Rings can be seen in the entrance to the Royal Armouries museum in Leeds in the form of a large curtain bearing the logo of the museum. It was acquired from the makers of the film's armour, Weta Workshop , when the museum hosted an exhibition of WETA armour from their films. For the film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome , Tina Turner is said to have worn actual mail and she complained how heavy this was. Game of Thrones makes use of mail, notably during

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2496-567: The Carolingian armour known as byrnie (see below). The first attestations of the word mail are in Old French and Anglo-Norman: maille , maile , or male or other variants, which became mailye , maille , maile , male , or meile in Middle English. Civilizations that used mail invented specific terms for each garment made from it. The standard terms for European mail armour derive from French: leggings are called chausses ,

2574-569: The Crusaders. Although Zisserman claims to have arrived at the speculation himself and is often credited with the idea, this theory appears in earlier sources and was a popular story among non-Georgians in Tbilisi. The claim that any historical evidence indicates that Khevsurs may have descended from crusaders has been thoroughly discredited, and Georgian scholars have universally derided the story. Zisserman also writes that 'concerning their origin

2652-488: The Edo period. The end of the samurai era in the 1860s, along with the 1876 ban on wearing swords in public, marked the end of any practical use for mail and other armour in Japan. Japan turned to a conscription army and uniforms replaced armour. Mail's resistance to weapons is determined by four factors: linkage type ( riveted , butted, or welded ), material used (iron versus bronze or steel), weave density (a tighter weave needs

2730-590: The Georgian highlanders gathered with a group of elder Orthodox Christian priests and performed their traditional rituals. As of the 1873 census, Khevsureti had the population of 4,872. By 1926, the population shrank to 3,885. Figures from the Russian imperial census of 1873 given in Dr. Gustav Radde's Die Chews'uren und ihr Land — ein monographischer Versuch untersucht im Sommer 1876 (published by Cassel in 1878) divide

2808-461: The Himalayan massif, but these stem from a completely different cultural tradition. This Georgia location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Mail (armour) Chain mail (also known as chain-mail , mail or maille ) is a type of armour consisting of small metal rings linked together in a pattern to form a mesh. It was in common military use between

2886-606: The Khevsurs have preserved a tradition: they consider a certain man by the name of Gudaneli as their first ancestor. He was a peasant vassal of a landlord in Kakheti, and to escape punishment for some crime which he had committed, he found refuge in the Pshav village of Apsho . From his two sons, Arabuli and Chinchara, originated the family of Arabuli, consisting of 320 homes, and the family of Chincharauli, with 210 homes.' American traveler Richard Halliburton (1900–1939) saw and recorded

2964-538: The King Mirian III of Iberia and the Queen Nana into Christianity in the early 4th century, St. Nino continued to preach among Georgian highlanders (მთიულნი, mtiulni) including Pkhovi . Medieval Georgia was never able to establish a typical feudal system. The civil code of the community remained based on the ancient traditions and values. Children of the noble families and lords were brought up by

3042-424: The age of 6-7, but men studying and military training, because according to their tradition women were deprived from education and higher social status. They had a strict system of physical training in martial arts preserved as a Khridoli martial art, and which is a part of the rich Georgian military tradition. Khevsur dances also preserved in the national dances as a warrior dance Khevsuruli . Their religion

3120-602: The armpits. Riveted kusari was known and used in Japan. On page 58 of the book Japanese Arms & Armor: Introduction by H. Russell Robinson, there is a picture of Japanese riveted kusari, and this quote from the translated reference of Sakakibara Kozan's 1800 book, The Manufacture of Armour and Helmets in Sixteenth-Century Japan , shows that the Japanese not only knew of and used riveted kusari but that they manufactured it as well. ... karakuri-namban (riveted namban), with stout links each closed by

3198-579: The army of the sacred flags and guardians of Georgian Kings. A story first popularized by Russian serviceman and ethnographer Arnold Zisserman , who spent 25 years (1842–67) during Russian expansion in the Caucasus (see Georgia within the Russian Empire ), suggests that these Georgian highlanders were descendants of the last European Crusaders . He claimed that their folk culture – the material, social, and religious practices – resembled those of

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3276-651: The combat and the men always obey the lady’s interference. Dozens of fortifications, sanctuaries and churches are scattered across the province. Chief of these are the Khakhmati fortress, Akhieli fortress, Lebaiskari fortress, Mutso fortress, Shatili fortifications, Gudani Cross, and the Anatori Cross. 42°29′18″N 44°52′45″E  /  42.48830°N 44.87915°E  / 42.48830; 44.87915 Shatili Shatili ( Georgian : შატილი , Šat’ili IPA: [ʃatʼili] )

3354-634: The customs of the Khevsur tribe in 1935. The Khevsur men, dressed in chain mail and armed with broadswords, wore garments full of decoration made up of crosses and icons , which served as a means of protection according to Christianity which Georgia adopted early in 4th century. Greek historian Herodotus ( c.  484  –  c.  425  BC) notes that the Caucasian highlanders of that time, were brilliant knitters and embroiders of their dress or Chokha , which wore out but never faded from frequent usage. Young girls started knitting at

3432-407: The drawbacks of mail is the uneven weight distribution; the stress falls mainly on shoulders. Weight can be better distributed by wearing a belt over the mail, which provides another point of support. Mail worn today for re-enactment and recreational use can be made in a variety of styles and materials. Most recreational mail today is made of butted links which are galvanised or stainless steel. This

3510-448: The ends touched each other and were not riveted, or the kusari was constructed with links where the wire was turned or twisted two or more times; these split links are similar to the modern split ring commonly used on keychains. The rings were lacquered black to prevent rusting, and were always stitched onto a backing of cloth or leather. The kusari was sometimes concealed entirely between layers of cloth. Kusari gusoku or chain armour

3588-531: The families of peasants (გლეხი, glekhi ) who were known for their wisdom and human qualities. These people introduced youth to their culture, history, traditions and all aspects of human knowledge and experiences based on Christian Orthodox values. (See Georgian Orthodox and Apostolic Church ) Historically, Georgian highlander communities enjoyed a degree of autonomy. Khevsurs never accepted local lords; they elected their leaders or Khevisberi (ხევისბერი, elder ) and council of elders and submitted themselves only to

3666-457: The husband parades, firing off his musket at intervals. After delivery, food was surreptitiously brought to the mother, who was kept in her prison a month, after which the hut was burnt. One of the more striking features of the traditional cultures of Khevsureti was the premarital relationship known as sts’orproba (or ts'ats'loba as it is known in Pshavi). A young couple could lie together during

3744-479: The lack of archaeological examples, some believe that it was a heavy leather jacket with metal scales sewn onto it with strong thread. It was also quite long, reaching below the hips and covering most of the arms. Other historians claim instead that the Carolingian byrnie was nothing more than a coat of mail, but longer and perhaps heavier than traditional early medieval mail. Without more certain evidence, this dispute will continue. The use of mail as battlefield armour

3822-552: The land with complicated relief, rational land tenure, multifunctionalism, vertical zoning of construction, optimal orientation. Both single monuments and the overall urban structure with their characteristic components (towers, residential complexes, sowing, chapels) are of special importance.   Shatili was once part of the Kingdom of Kakheti . The population of Shatili and most of the Khevsureti region, were resettled to

3900-465: The last two decades also increased a tendency towards migration. Like other mountainous areas of Georgia, Khevsureti is characterized by a great diversity of traditions and customs. Khevsurs speak a local dialect of the Georgian language that resembles the literary Georgian of the Middle Ages and retain many of their ancient traditions including elements of folk ritual. The institution of the Blood feud

3978-546: The late 19th and early 20th century, mail was used as a material for bulletproof vests , most notably by the Wilkinson Sword Company. Results were unsatisfactory; Wilkinson mail worn by the Khedive of Egypt 's regiment of "Iron Men" was manufactured from split rings which proved to be too brittle, and the rings would fragment when struck by bullets and aggravate the injury. The riveted mail armour worn by

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4056-532: The many peoples of Dagestan . Due to the geographic, ethnic and religious complexity and lack of industrialization in the Greater Caucasus, it was a common occurrence for the tribes of the North Caucasus to attack and rob mountain-dwelling Georgians. Well-known Georgian poet Vazha Pshavela described the warfare of the Khevsurs in his poems. One of the most famous of these is Aluda Ketelauri ,

4134-574: The monarch (see List of the Kings of Georgia ). They were exceptional warriors with traditional Georgian qualities of courage, openness and honesty, fraternity, independence and love of freedom, who were often promoted as royal bodyguards. Kings regarded them as reliable guardians of the Caucasus Mountains and the northern border of the kingdom. In the battles Khevsurs wore flags adorned with crosses and considered themselves permanent members of

4212-473: The nation of Kuchi arrived wearing "armour similar to chains". Once in China, mail was imported but was not produced widely. Due to its flexibility, comfort, and rarity, it was typically the armour of high-ranking guards and those who could afford the exotic import (to show off their social status) rather than the armour of the rank and file, who used more common brigandine, scale, and lamellar types. However, it

4290-491: The night with a sword placed between them. Sexual intercourse between the pair was strictly forbidden. Any man who breached this rule was condemned to death. Even in recent past a place called Anatori ossuary was used by gravely sick Khevsurs: to save their families they used to set out to that place and meet their end in seclusion, keeping their kinfolk safe from the calamities of sweeping epidemic and mortal disease. The warlike character of Khevsurs influenced some historians to

4368-589: The opposing Sudanese Madhists did not have the same problem but also proved to be relatively useless against the firearms of British forces at the battle of Omdurman . During World War I, Wilkinson Sword transitioned from mail to a lamellar design which was the precursor to the flak jacket . Mail was also used for face protection in World War I. Oculist Captain Cruise of the British Infantry designed

4446-439: The plains in the early 1950s, under pressure from the Soviet authorities. In the 1960s, the exotic landscape of the empty village was used as a setting for a series of Georgian films about the past life of the highlanders. Shatili is still inhabited by a dozen or so families, but is inaccessible by road during the wintertime. The village is a favourite destination for tourists and mountain trekkers. The authenticity of Shatili

4524-445: The point that they were inclined to relate this tribe of the Georgian highlanders to the Crusaders; but the decisive point, of course, was the presence of the images of the cross in the national attire of the Khevsurs. Along with their bellicose history and experience, they have also a custom of the opposite peaceful nature and ethics: if a young girl or a woman throws her kerchief between the fighting Khevsurs, it signals her order to stop

4602-414: The poor understanding of hygiene, however, cuts that could get infected were much more of a problem. Thus mail armour proved to be sufficient protection in most situations. Several patterns of linking the rings together have been known since ancient times, with the most common being the 4-to-1 pattern (where each ring is linked with four others). In Europe, the 4-to-1 pattern was completely dominant. Mail

4680-483: The riveted rings was formed by either of two methods. One was to hammer out wrought iron into plates and cut or slit the plates. These thin pieces were then pulled through a draw plate repeatedly until the desired diameter was achieved. Waterwheel -powered drawing mills are pictured in several period manuscripts. Another method was to simply forge down an iron billet into a rod and then proceed to draw it out into wire. The solid links would have been made by punching from

4758-579: The soldiers themselves. Asian mail could be just as heavy as the European variety and sometimes had prayer symbols stamped on the rings as a sign of their craftsmanship as well as for divine protection. Mail armour is mentioned in the Quran as being a gift revealed by Allah to David : 21:80 It was We Who taught him the making of coats of mail for your benefit, to guard you from each other's violence: will ye then be grateful? (Yusuf Ali's translation) From

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4836-569: The village is actually a unique complex of medieval-to-early modern fortresses and fortified dwellings of stone and mortar which functioned both as a residential area and a fortress guarding the northeastern outskirts of the country. The fortress consists of the terraced structures dominated by flat-roofed dwellings and some 60 towers which cluster together to create a single chain of fortifications. Unique architectural methods and thought are realised in Shatili: selection of location, development of

4914-414: The villagers his admiration for the 'Kist' hero who had proved such a worthy adversary, but they were shocked at this praising of a 'pagan' and ended by condemning Aluda and expelling him from the community. The Encyclopædia Britannica reported in 1911 that many curious customs still prevailed among the Khevsurs, as for instance the imprisonment of the woman during childbirth in a lonely hut, round which

4992-567: The villages of Khevsureti into eight communities: 1873 TOTAL : 61 villages, 1,251 households, consisting of 2,967 men and 3,029 women, in all 5,996 souls. These figures can be compared with those given in Sergi Makalatia's Khevsureti (Komunistis Stamba, Tbilisi: 1935; in Georgian): 1935(?) TOTAL : 43 villages, 769 households, consisting of 1,492 men and 1,668 women, in all 3,160 souls. There are, of course, many reasons for which

5070-554: The work: Alice la Haubergere was an armourer who worked in Cheapside in the early 1300s and in York in 1446 Agnes Hecche inherited her father's mail making tools to continue her work after his death. Mail from dead combatants was frequently looted and was used by the new owner or sold for a lucrative price. As time went on and infrastructure improved, it came to be used by more soldiers. The oldest intact mail hauberk still in existence

5148-455: Was a poor defence against head trauma. Mail-clad warriors typically wore separate rigid helms over their mail coifs for head protection. Likewise, blunt weapons such as maces and warhammers could harm the wearer by their impact without penetrating the armour; usually a soft armour, such as gambeson , was worn under the hauberk. Medieval surgeons were very well capable of setting and caring for bone fractures resulting from blunt weapons. With

5226-467: Was also common in East Asia, primarily Japan, with several more patterns being utilised and an entire nomenclature developing around them. Historically, in Europe, from the pre-Roman period on, the rings composing a piece of mail would be riveted closed to reduce the chance of the rings splitting open when subjected to a thrusting attack or a hit by an arrow. Up until the 14th century European mail

5304-520: Was among the first to develop and test shark suits in 1979 while diving with sharks. Mail is widely used in industrial settings as shrapnel guards and splash guards in metal working operations. Electrical applications for mail include RF leakage testing and being worn as a Faraday cage suit by tesla coil enthusiasts and high voltage electrical workers. Conventional textile-based ballistic vests are designed to stop soft-nosed bullets but offer little defense from knife attacks. Knife-resistant armour

5382-655: Was common during the Iron Age and the Middle Ages , becoming less common over the course of the 16th and 17th centuries when plate armour and more advanced firearms were developed. It is believed that the Roman Republic first came into contact with mail fighting the Gauls in Cisalpine Gaul , now Northern Italy . The Roman army adopted the technology for their troops in the form of the lorica hamata which

5460-653: Was commonly used during the Edo period 1603 to 1868 as a stand-alone defense. According to George Cameron Stone Entire suits of mail kusari gusoku were worn on occasions, sometimes under the ordinary clothing In his book Arms and Armor of the Samurai: The History of Weaponry in Ancient Japan , Ian Bottomley shows a picture of a kusari armour and mentions kusari katabira (chain jackets) with detachable arms being worn by samurai police officials during

5538-408: Was filmed on a very small budget). Films more dedicated to costume accuracy often use ABS plastic rings, for the lower cost and weight. Such ABS mail coats were made for The Lord of the Rings film trilogy , in addition to many metal coats. The metal coats are used rarely because of their weight, except in close-up filming where the appearance of ABS rings is distinguishable. A large scale example of

5616-496: Was made of alternating rows of round riveted rings and solid rings. Sometime during the 14th century European mail makers started to transition from round rivets to wedge-shaped rivets, but continued using alternating rows of solid rings. Eventually European mail makers stopped using solid rings and almost all European mail was made from wedge riveted rings only with no solid rings. Both were commonly made of wrought iron , but some later pieces were made of heat-treated steel. Wire for

5694-541: Was often integrated with plate protection (mail and plate armour). Mail was introduced to China when its allies in Central Asia paid tribute to the Tang Emperor in 718 by giving him a coat of "link armour" assumed to be mail. Earliest assumed reference to mail can be found in early 3rd century record by Cao Zhi , being called "chained ring armor". China first encountered the armour in 384 when its allies in

5772-632: Was one of the few military products that China imported from foreigners. Mail spread to Korea slightly later where it was imported as the armour of imperial guards and generals. In Japan , mail is called kusari which means chain. When the word kusari is used in conjunction with an armoured item it usually means that mail makes up the majority of the armour composition. An example of this would be kusari gusoku which means chain armour. Kusari jackets , hoods , gloves , vests , shin guards , shoulder guards, thigh guards , and other armoured clothing were produced, even kusari tabi socks. Kusari

5850-478: Was still alive in the twentieth century. Khevsur music also resembles that of Georgia in the Middle Ages . Khevsureti is famous for its Medieval ballads and folk music. The traditional costume of Khevsureti includes a male upper garment called the Perangi . While this bears some resemblance to the classic Georgian Chokha , it is shorter and trapezoidal in shape and features a more powerful color balance and

5928-412: Was still widely used by many soldiers, along with brigandines and padded jacks . These three types of armour made up the bulk of the equipment used by soldiers, with mail being the most expensive. It was sometimes more expensive than plate armour. Mail typically persisted longer in less technologically advanced areas such as Eastern Europe but was in use throughout Europe into the 16th century. During

6006-593: Was used as a primary form of armour through the Imperial period. After the fall of the Western Empire, much of the infrastructure needed to create plate armour diminished. Eventually the word "mail" came to be synonymous with armour. It was typically an extremely prized commodity, as it was expensive and time-consuming to produce and could mean the difference between life and death in a battle. Historically mail makers were often men, but women also undertook

6084-619: Was used in samurai armour at least from the time of the Mongol invasion (1270s) but particularly from the Nambokucho Period (1336–1392). The Japanese used many different weave methods including a square 4-in-1 pattern ( so gusari ), a hexagonal 6-in-1 pattern ( hana gusari ) and a European 4-in-1 ( nanban gusari ). The rings of Japanese mail were much smaller than their European counterparts; they would be used in patches to link together plates and to drape over vulnerable areas such as

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