The History of Mail

Chainmail is more accurately known as mail (or maille). The word chainmail was coined in the 18th century and so is a relatively new term.

Mail was first invented sometime during the first millennium BC, exactly when, where and by who is unfortunately unknown.

The Romans were one of the first to equip their army with mail. Their mail utilised alternating butted wire rings and solid punched washers to improve the overall strength of their mail.

The Vikings used mail armour though they were not as organised as the Romans. By this period riveted mail was in wide spread use. Each ring overlaps slightly and this overlap is hammered flat, a hole is then punched through and the ring is riveted closed. This greatly increases the strength of the armour over standard butted mail at the expense of some increase in weight. Riveting mail is also extremely labour intensive, if you consider that an average mail shirt consists of between 20-30,000 rings, all of them need riveting! Unsurprisingly a mail shirt would cost the modern equivalent of a Ferrari.

During the Middle Ages plate mail armour was the armour of choice. Mail hadn't completely disappeared though, it was used to cover the gaps inherent in the plate mail armour, such as around the armpits and covering the groin.

During the First World War mail was used on face masks to protect tank drivers against shrapnel. Recently butchers use mail gloves and aprons, the police use mail gloves for dealing with knife crime and complete suits of mail are used when diving with sharks!

Mail is currently being used in the development of stab vests.

Ladies Top with chainmail sleeves