Mail in the Ancient World

• The Roman republic and empire made extensive use of mail armor. Mail, called "lorica hamata" by the Romans, was sometimes worn with extra flaps of armor at the shoulders. Although mail was very effective, it was time-consuming to produce, with each mail coat containing around 30,000 handmade rings. As a result, it was replaced during much of the Roman period with more easily produced armor. Mail was also used as a component of cavalry armor, which was reinforced with metal scales and plates to provide protection for the whole body. Like the Romans, other cultures used mail armor. The Gauls were known for the quality of their mail.
  
  

Mail in the Middle Ages

• From the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century to the development of plate armor in the late 14th century, mail was the dominant type of armor in western Europe. The most common form of mail was a coat called a hauberk or haubergeon, reaching down to the thigh or knee with either short or long sleeves. A hood called a coif covered the head. As armor developed, mail leggings called chausses were also worn, together with mail mittens covering the hands. In the Byzantine Empire and the Near East, similar armor was worn, sometimes incorporating metal plates.
  
  

Mail after the Middle Ages

• Mail began to fall out of favor in Europe in the later Middle Ages except as a component of more complex armor. However, it continued to be worn in Central Asia, India, the Far East and Africa. Mail formed part of the armor of Japanese samurai, including the "kusari katabira," or mail jacket, in which mail was sandwiched between layers of cloth. As late the 18th and 19th centuries, European colonial forces encountered troops in India, Africa and Afghanistan wearing mail armor, which provided good protection against swords but was ineffective against firearms.
  
  

Mail in the Modern World

• Although it has mostly been replaced by more advanced protective fabrics, mail is still used for some forms of protective gear. In the First World War, tank crews wore masks with mail veils to protect their faces from flying metal fragments. Divers who work around sharks wear mail to protect themselves from bites. Butchers and woodcarvers use mail gauntlets and other protective clothing to protect against workplace injuries. Made with modern steel, these protective mail garments are the latest generation of a history stretching over 2,000 years.