Components of medieval armour

This table identifies various pieces of armour worn from the medieval to Early Modern period in the West, mostly plate but some mail, arranged by the part of body that is protected and roughly by date. No attempt has been made to identify fastening components or various appendages such as lancerests or plumeholders or clothing such as tabards or surcoats which were often worn over a harness.

There are a variety of alternative names and spellings (such as cowter/couter or bassinet/bascinet/basinet or besagew/besague) which often reflect a word introduced from the French. Generally, the English spelling has been preferred (including mail instead of the lately used maille or the inauthentic term chainmail).

Japanese Analogues
The following components of Japanese armour roughly match the position and function of certain components of occidental armour:


 * Kusari zukin (mail coif)
 * Mengu (mask)
 * Kabuto (helmet)
 * Do (armour) (cuirass)
 * Kote (vambrace & lower pauldron)
 * Han kote (Gauntlet)
 * sode (roughly pauldron)
 * Suneate (greave)
 * Kusazuri (fauld or tasset)
 * Wakibiki (bezagews)
 * Nodowa (gorget)
 * Kusari katabira (Hauberk)
 * Kikko katabira (Brigandine)
 * Kôgake (Sabaton)
 * Kusari shikoro (Aventail )