THE SCOTSMAN'S QUESTION
WHAT HAVE YOU GOT ON UNDER YOUR MAIL ?
Mail is good at stopping cuts and quite effective to stop a thrust. It is flexible and airy. The main drawback with mail is that it does not absorb the force of a blow - the body underneath must take that shock.
This fact has led to some fantastical suggestions as to what was worn under mail.
There is no Viking Age evidence for any complex leather foundation garment like the medieval garments worn under plate armour.
It has been hypothesised that a Roman garment existed which provided padding under metal armour. Most specifically, under the armour or flexible metal bands now known as lorica segmentata. Termed the 'sub armalis' there is no direct evidence for the existence of this garment but experience with the armour suggest some was desireable. A fourth century source also mentions the thoracomacus as an item worn under armour. Again, we have no further evidence. Pteryges must have been fastened to something but this does not have to be a defensive garment more than a linen or leather shirt of some kind.
Mail, especially rivetted mail, is not pleasant against the skin. It is likely a garment worn under it would be thick enough to protect the wearer and tough enough not to be abraded to pieces by the mail. A fine skin shirt or one of tough wool would do the job.
Combing early medieval illustrations for a view under mail I can find no example where an artist shows some special garment under mail. The consumers of the illustrations were the noble military class. Most military details in these depictions are meticulous in their accuracy. If they show no special undergarment it may be because there never was one.
There is a play-off between possible momentary extra protection in case of being hit and constant weight, heat and limitation of movement. Aggressive warriors will take the chance to get their hit in first (or run faster?).
This fact has led to some fantastical suggestions as to what was worn under mail.
There is no Viking Age evidence for any complex leather foundation garment like the medieval garments worn under plate armour.
It has been hypothesised that a Roman garment existed which provided padding under metal armour. Most specifically, under the armour or flexible metal bands now known as lorica segmentata. Termed the 'sub armalis' there is no direct evidence for the existence of this garment but experience with the armour suggest some was desireable. A fourth century source also mentions the thoracomacus as an item worn under armour. Again, we have no further evidence. Pteryges must have been fastened to something but this does not have to be a defensive garment more than a linen or leather shirt of some kind.
Mail, especially rivetted mail, is not pleasant against the skin. It is likely a garment worn under it would be thick enough to protect the wearer and tough enough not to be abraded to pieces by the mail. A fine skin shirt or one of tough wool would do the job.
Combing early medieval illustrations for a view under mail I can find no example where an artist shows some special garment under mail. The consumers of the illustrations were the noble military class. Most military details in these depictions are meticulous in their accuracy. If they show no special undergarment it may be because there never was one.
There is a play-off between possible momentary extra protection in case of being hit and constant weight, heat and limitation of movement. Aggressive warriors will take the chance to get their hit in first (or run faster?).
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11th century Mosan Bible. Tunic revealed under mail. |
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11th century Hildesheim bronze. Open neck of mail shirt reveals no details of anything under it. |
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David gets out of his armour with no evidence of anything under it except a tunic. Maciekowski Bible - folio 28R |
King Saul's body gets stripped by the Philistines in the Maciekowski Bible - folio 35R. Nothing under there except shirt and wounds. 
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