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Quilted Armour

Quilted Armour.jpg Reclusorium, or Anchorhold, at Rettenden, EssexThumbnailsSaxon soldier in armourReclusorium, or Anchorhold, at Rettenden, EssexThumbnailsSaxon soldier in armourReclusorium, or Anchorhold, at Rettenden, EssexThumbnailsSaxon soldier in armourReclusorium, or Anchorhold, at Rettenden, EssexThumbnailsSaxon soldier in armourReclusorium, or Anchorhold, at Rettenden, EssexThumbnailsSaxon soldier in armour

Of the quilted armours we know very little. In the illuminations is often seen armour covered over with lines arranged in a lozenge pattern, which perhaps represents garments stuffed and sewn in this commonest of all patterns of quilting; but it has been suggested that it may represent lozenged-shaped scales, of horn or metal, fastened upon the face of the garments. In the wood-cut here given from the MS. Caligula A. vii., we have one of the clearest and best extant illustrations of this quilted armour.