Chainmail Haubergeon – Wedge Riveted – Flat Ring / Solid Ring – 60″ Chest

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”. 

Haubergeon literally translates as “Little Hauberk”. They were smaller and lighter than the larger hauberks and therefore easier and cheaper to manufacture. They would usually be waist length and would terminate at the elbow or shoulder. Hauberks are long sleeved chainmail shirts that often terminate at the knee, and have a split up the front and back to allow for riding horses. The name Hauberk comes from the Old Frankish word “halsberg” which originally described a small piece of mail that protected (“Bergen – to protect) the throat and neck (the “Hals”).  Hauberks were expensive to manufacture, both in materials and in the labour time and skill required to make them. As such they were usually only worn by nobles and professional soldiers. The Bayeux Tapestry features Norman Knights wearing knee length hauberks with three quarter length sleeves. Their Saxon adversaries wore shirts of a similar design. Hauberks were in use in Europe until the 15th century when the advent of plate armour and better firearms led to its decline.

Finest grade of chainmail from GDFB, featuring Flat Ring / Solid Ring Combination construction with wedge riveting. This Haubergeon (alternating rows of wedge-riveted and solid rings) provides the predominant style of construction during the mail era.

The hauberk and haubergeon sizes are a little confusing, as they relate to the actual circumference of the mail garment, rather than a chest size. Size 48″/50″ will fit up to a 44″ chest dimension measured over a gambeson (and any other clothing worn with the gambeson), While the 60″ size will fit up to a 54″ chest dimension, again measured over the gambeson etc.

Buy the Chainmail Haubergeon – Half Sleeve – Wedge Riveted Flat Ring / Solid Ring Steel with confidence from the UK’s leading chainmail retailer.