Maille Timeline
This is not set up exactly how I wanted it, but I got impatient, I just haven't had enough time to do it right, but I wanted the info out there for everyone to enjoy. I will fix it up nice eventually...
All Information on this page was compiled by David A Counts. Lets hear a round of applause for him... This list is impressive, and it will only grow larger with time.
Index Number: 1
Culture/Time Period: Celtic, middle of the 4th Cent. BC
Location of Find: Hjortspring, Denmark
Pattern of Mail: 4-in-1?
Material: Iron?
Ring Closure: not specified
Wire Size: not specified
Wire Cross-Section: not specified
Ring Inside Diameter: not specified
Ring Outside Diameter: Average of 7mm (.28 inch)
Ring "Diameter" (not specified): not applicable
Comments: Minimum Outside Diameter of 4mm (.16 inch); Maximum Outside
Diameter of 10mm (.39 inch); Mail from remains of about a dozen mail
shirts
References: #1
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Index Number: 2
Culture/Time Period: Celtic, Late 4th - Early 3rd Cent. BC
Location of Find: Ciumesti, Romania
Pattern of Mail: 4-in-1
Material: Iron
Ring Closure: Butted Rings and Solid (punched) Rings
Wire Size: Butted 1.2-1.4 mm; Solid .8-1.8 mm
Wire Cross-Section: not specified
Ring Inside Diameter: 6 mm (.24 inch)
Ring Outside Diameter: Average of 9 mm (.35 inch)
Ring "Diameter" (not specified): not applicable
Comments: From a mail shirt that probably had a Celtic mantle-style
shoulder defense; Reference #1 refers only to butted rings
References: #1; #2
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Index Number: 3
Culture/Time Period: Celtic, 3rd Cent. BC
Location of Find: Ciumesti, Romania
Pattern of Mail: 4-in-1
Material: Iron
Ring Closure: Solid (punched) and Riveted
Wire Size: Estimated to be 16 gauge
Wire Cross-Section: not specified
Ring Inside Diameter: 5 mm (.20 inch)
Ring Outside Diameter: 8 mm (.31 inch)
Ring "Diameter" (not specified): not applicable
Comments: From a mail shirt; Compare this mail to the other Ciumesti
find
References: #2
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Index Number: 4
Culture/Time Period: Celtic 3rd Cent. BC
Location of Find: Kirkburn, Yorkshire
Pattern of Mail: not specified
Material: not specified
Ring Closure: Conflicting Reports: Butted v. Solid and Riveted
Wire Size: 1.5-1.6 mm
Wire Cross-Section: not specified
Ring Inside Diameter: not specified
Ring Outside Diameter: 8.2-9.2 mm (.32-.36 inch)
Ring "Diameter" (not specified): not applicable
Comments: From a mail shirt
References: #1
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Index Number: 5
Culture/Time Period: Belgo-Roman 1st Cent. BC - 1st Cent. AD
Location of Find: Maiden Castle, Dorset
Pattern of Mail: not specified
Material: not specified
Ring Closure: Butted
Wire Size: 1.0-1.3 mm
Wire Cross-Section: not specified
Ring Inside Diameter: not specified
Ring Outside Diameter: 7mm (.28 inch)
Ring "Diameter" (not specified): not applicable
Comments:
References: #1
_
Index Number: 6
Culture/Time Period: Celtic, 15-10 BC
Location of Find: Lexden, Essex
Pattern of Mail: not specified
Material: Iron?
Ring Closure: Solid (welded) and Riveted
Wire Size: 1.4-1.6 mm
Wire Cross-Section: Circular
Ring Inside Diameter: not specified
Ring Outside Diameter: 5.5-5.8 mm (.22-.23 inch)
Ring "Diameter" (not specified): not applicable
Comments:
References: #1
_
Index Number: 7
Culture/Time Period: Celtic, 20-35 AD
Location of Find: Baldock, England
Pattern of Mail: not specified
Material: Iron?
Ring Closure: Solid (welded?) and Riveted
Wire Size: 1.2-1.3 mm
Wire Cross-Section: Circular
Ring Inside Diameter: not specified
Ring Outside Diameter: 4.8-5.0 mm (.19-.20 inch)
Ring "Diameter" (not specified): not applicable
Comments:
References: #1
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Index Number: 8
Culture/Time Period: Celtic, 50 AD
Location of Find: St. Albans, Hertfordshire
Pattern of Mail: Appears to be 4-in-1
Material: Iron
Ring Closure: Solid (welded?) and Riveted
Wire Size: 1.5-1.6 mm
Wire Cross-Section: Circular
Ring Inside Diameter: not specified
Ring Outside Diameter: 6.8-7.1 mm (.27-.28 inch)
Ring "Diameter" (not specified): not applicable
Comments: "Folly Lane" mail shirt find
References: #1
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Index Number: 9
Culture/Time Period: Celtic, 50 AD
Location of Find: Stanwick, York
Pattern of Mail: not specified
Material: not specified
Ring Closure: Butted
Wire Size: not specified
Wire Cross-Section: not specified
Ring Inside Diameter: not specified
Ring Outside Diameter: not specified
Ring "Diameter" (not specified): not specified
Comments:
References: #1
_
Index Number: 10
Culture/Time Period: Celtic, Late 1st Cent. BC - Early 1st Cent. AD
Location of Find: Hayling Island, Hamshire
Pattern of Mail: not specified
Material: not specified
Ring Closure: not specified
Wire Size: not specified
Wire Cross-Section: not specified
Ring Inside Diameter: not specified
Ring Outside Diameter: not specified
Ring "Diameter" (not specified): not specified
Comments:
References: #1
_
Index Number: 11
Culture/Time Period: Celtic, 1st Cent. AD
Location of Find: Tiefenau, Switzerland
Pattern of Mail: 6-in-1
Material: Iron
Ring Closure: Butted
Wire Size: 1 mm (about 18 gauge)
Wire Cross-Section: not specified
Ring Inside Diameter: 11 mm (.43 inch)
Ring Outside Diameter: 13 mm (.51 inch)
Ring "Diameter" (not specified): not appliable
Comments: The ONLY 6-in-1 mail shirt I have yet found; Mail assigned an
earlier date in reference #3
References: #1; #3
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Index Number: 12
Culture/Time Period: Celto-Roman, 1st Cent. AD
Location of Find: not specified
Pattern of Mail: not specified
Material: Iron?
Ring Closure: Solid (punched) and Riveted
Wire Size: 8 mm and 1.0 x .8 mm
Wire Cross-Section: Circular and Rectangular (cut "wire" strip?)
Ring Inside Diameter: not specified
Ring Outside Diameter: 7.0-7.5 mm (.28-.30 inch)
Ring "Diameter" (not specified): not applicable
Comments:
References: #1
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Index Number: 13
Culture/Time Period: Roman, c.50AD
Location of Find: Baginton, Warwickshire
Pattern of Mail: not specified
Material: Bronze
Ring Closure: Solid (punched) and Riveted
Wire Size: not specified
Wire Cross-Section: not specified
Ring Inside Diameter: 3 mm (.12 inch)
Ring Outside Diameter: not specified
Ring "Diameter" (not specified): not applicable
Comments:
References: #4
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Index Number: 14
Culture/Time Period: Roman, 1st Cent. AD (?)
Location of Find: Ouddorp, Holland
Pattern of Mail: not specified
Material: Bronze
Ring Closure: not specified
Wire Size: not specified
Wire Cross-Section: not specified
Ring Inside Diameter: 3 mm (.12 inch)
Ring Outside Diameter: not specified
Ring "Diameter" (not specified): not applicable
Comments: This find bronze mail served as the foundation for a scale
armour … the "lorica plumata" ???
References: #4
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Index Number: 15
Culture/Time Period: Roman, 1st Cent. AD
Location of Find: Newstead
Pattern of Mail: 4-in-1
Material: Bronze
Ring Closure: Solid (punched) and Riveted
Wire Size: not specified
Wire Cross-Section: not specified
Ring Inside Diameter: not specified
Ring Outside Diameter: 5 mm (.20 inch) Riveted; 3 mm (.12 inch) Solid
Ring "Diameter" (not specified): not applicable
Comments: Mail shirt used as foundation for a scale armour … the "lorica
plumata" ???
References: #4
_
Index Number: 16
Culture/Time Period: Roman, c. 150 AD
Location of Find: NewStead
Pattern of Mail: 4-in-1
Material: Iron
Ring Closure: Solid (punched) and Riveted
Wire Size: not specified
Wire Cross-Section: not specified
Ring Inside Diameter: not specified
Ring Outside Diameter: 7mm (.28 inch)
Ring "Diameter" (not specified): not applicable
Comments: Mail shirt
References: #4
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Index Number: 17
Culture/Time Period: Roman, c. 150 AD
Location of Find: Saalburg
Pattern of Mail: 4-in-1?
Material: not specified
Ring Closure: not specified
Wire Size: not specified
Wire Cross-Section: not-specified
Ring Inside Diameter: 4.0-7.0 mm (.16-.28 inch)
Ring Outside Diameter: not specified
Ring "Diameter" (not specified): not applicable
Comments: Mail shirt
References: #4
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Index Number: 18
Culture/Time Period: Germanic, 2nd-3rd Cent. AD
Location of Find: Vimose
Pattern of Mail: 4-in-1?
Material: Iron?
Ring Closure: not specified
Wire Size: not specified
Wire Cross-Section: not specified
Ring Inside Diameter: not specified
Ring Outside Diameter: not specified
Ring "Diameter" (not specified): 12 mm (.47 inch)
Comments:
References: Wheeler …need to confirm
_
Index Number: 19
Culture/Time Period: Germanic, 3rd Cent. AD
Location of Find: Thorsbjorg, Schleswig
Pattern of Mail: 4-in-1 (?)
Material: Iron(?)
Ring Closure: Solid (punched? welded?) and Riveted
Wire Size: about 1mm
Wire Cross-Section: not specified
Ring Inside Diameter: not specified
Ring Outside Diameter: 12 mm (.47 inch) Riveted; 10 mm (.39 inch) Solid
Ring "Diameter" (not specified): not applicable
Comments:
References: #1
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Index Number: 20
Culture/Time Period: Roman, c.250 AD
Location of Find: Kastell, Kunzing
Pattern of Mail: 4-in-1
Material: Iron
Ring Closure: not specified
Wire Size: not specified
Wire Cross-Section: not specified
Ring Inside Diameter: 7.0-9.0 mm (.28-.35 inch)
Ring Outside Diameter: not specified
Ring "Diameter" (not specified): not applicable
Comments: Mail shirt
References: #4
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Index Number: 21
Culture/Time Period: Anglo-Saxon, c.750-775 AD
Location of Find: York, England
Pattern of Mail: 4-in-1
Material: Iron
Ring Closure: Solid (welded) and Riveted
Wire Size: 1.1 - 2.0 mm
Wire Cross-Section: not specified
Ring Inside Diameter: 8 mm (.31 inch)
Ring Outside Diameter: not specified
Ring "Diameter" (not specified): not applicable
Comments: Camail (mail curtain) attached to the lower edge of the
"Coppergate Helmet"
References: Tweedle
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Index Number: 22
Culture/Time Period: Western European, Early 16th Cent. AD
Location of Find: not specified
Pattern of Mail: 4-in-1
Material: Iron
Ring Closure: Riveted
Wire Size: about 2mm
Wire Cross-Section: Flat
Ring Inside Diameter: about 7mm (.28 inch)
Ring Outside Diameter: about 9mm (.35 inch)
Ring "Diameter" (not specified): not applicable
Comments: Part of a "gusset" or mail defense attached to a padded arming
doublet worn beneath plate armour; Measurements taken from a photograph
References: Laking
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Index Number: 23
Culture/Time Period: European(?), Early 15th Cent. AD (?)
Location of Find: not specified
Pattern of Mail: 4-in-1
Material: Iron
Ring Closure: Riveted
Wire Size: about 14 gauge
Wire Cross-Section: Circular(?)
Ring Inside Diameter: about 10 mm (.39 inch)
Ring Outside Diameter: about 13 mm (.51 inch)
Ring "Diameter" (not specified): not applicable
Comments: Measurement taken from a photograph
References: Laking
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Index Number: 24
Culture/Time Period: Caucasus (?), 18th-19th Cent. AD
Location of Find: not specified
Pattern of Mail: 4-in-1
Material: Iron
Ring Closure: Overlapped Butted (Large) and End-On Butted (Small)
Wire Size: about 14 gauge (Large); about 16 gauge (Small)
Wire Cross-Section: appears Circular
Ring Inside Diameter: 11 mm (.43 inch) Large; 9 mm (.35 inch) Small
Ring Outside Diameter: 14 mm (.55 inch) Large; 11 mm (.43 inch) Small
Ring "Diameter" (not specified): not applicable
Comments: Although Laking states this mail was found in the foundation
of house when it was destroyed and assigns the mail to 14th Cent. AD
Europe, I believe this overlapped butted mail to be a later specimen from
the Caucasus; Measurements from a photograph
References: Laking
