Chainmail Coif

Mail was thought to have been invented by the Celts. The earliest example was found in a Celtic Chieftain’s burial in Romania. It was a popular form of defence for the warrior elite of the Viking and Early Medieval periods. It is often (wrongly referred to as chainmail but this terminology was first introduced by Sir Walter Scott in 1822 in his novel “The Fortunes of Nigel”. In the medieval period, it was simply known as “Mail”. The coif was designed to protect the head, neck and shoulders against damage from bladed weapons. It was very effective at doing so – the Royal Armouries have conducted tests with well-made mail and concluded that “it is almost impossible to penetrate using any conventional medieval weapon”. The Mail Coif is constructed by hand from hundreds of steel rings and will fit all but the largest of heads. The rings are zinc plated to provide a shiny, maintenance-free finish that is resistant to rust. Finish: Zinc plated Material: 16 gauge Mild Steel Ring Type: Round / Butted Diameter: 8mm Weight: 3.5kg All dimensions are approximate and may vary from piece to piece.