About Armor

Armor is a protective garment used to protect the body against damage from direct contact with weaponry. It can cover the entire body or only vulnerable areas. The term can also be used to describe a military unit made up of armored fighting vehicles. Armor comes in a variety of shapes, sizes, materials and styles. Medieval plate armor is perhaps the most famous, but is no longer used in military combat.

Etymology

The word armor first appeared in English in 1297 to describe a mail covering worn in combat. It derived from the Old French word "armeure," which came from the Latin "armatura" meaning "arms or equipment." The word was introduced anew into the English language in the mid-1800s with the appearance of the iron-clad warship.

History

The history of armor begins with the history of man. Throughout recorded history, people have always used some type of protective garment. The Roman legions of the early medieval age donned mail hauberks and the Renaissance knights of the 14th century favored full steel-plate harnesses. The oldest surviving armor in Greece dates back to 1400 B.C. during the Mycenaean era.

With the invention of gunpowder and firearms in the 17th century, these types of armor became ineffective and were abandoned by 1700, never to be revived for use in battle. In modern times, the military utilizes bullet-proof vests, flak jackets and other types of body armor effective against modern weapons.

Features

A wide variety of materials have been used to create armor. In the beginning, armor was made of wood, leather, animal hide and bone. Over time, metals such as bronze, iron, and rolled steel came into use. Full-body armor was popular in the golden age of knights, the 14th century. However, armor was created for individual parts of the body as well. Helmets, greaves, gauntlets and breastplates were often used. Modern armor may be made of composite materials such as Kevlar, ceramics or ballistic cloth.

Types

There are four primary types of armor; that includes many sub-types. Battle armor is perhaps the most familiar. It consists of more than 200 pieces of steel riveted together, encapsulating the entire body. Tournament armor is heavier and thicker than battle armor. It was commonly used for jousting and was specifically made to protect against the impact of a horse. Decorative or ceremonial armor is heavily ornamented and designed to be worn at ceremonies and parades--not for use in battle.

Piece armor consists of various pieces of armor worn together for protection. This may include leather armor used for cuirass, splinted armor, mail armor, plate armor, brigandine, scale and ring armor. In today's military, vests and jackets made of bulletproof material can be considered piece armor.

Misconceptions

It is often believed that a suit of body armor hindered the movements of the wearer due to its weight. This misconception probably arose because of the appearance of the metal encasement. However, it is no more restrictive than the armor utilized by modern-day soldiers. Knights were trained to wear body armor from their teenage years, and would develop the needed endurance and technique to run, fight and and mount a horse while it was equipped. A full suit of plate would have weighed no more than 60 pounds, which is much lighter than the equipment of today's elite forces.

Resources

• Body Armor History
• Armor for Beginners