Question About SEA Armor

Mark · 15th August 2005, 03:10 PM

From all that I have seen, I believe your information about SEA armor is correct, at least as far as continental SEA goes. Metal armor was not used. In Burma and Thailand the common soldier (who was a levy soldier) went essentially unarmored, and the more affluent wore a "war coat," which as near as I can tell was of heavy or padded silk, and a leather "war hat" which looked a lot like something Jimmy Buffet might be wearing down in Margaritaville. I have a scan of an old catalogue that shows a war coat and war hat, and if no one else posts it in the meantime I will put it up this evening from home.

Two-sword techniques were apparently used regularly in warfare in both Burma and Thailand, as well as sword-and-shield, sword-and-buckler, and double-handed techniques. Each one used a slightly different type of sword. Andrew has done the real research in this area, so hopefully he can add more.

I have read that the standard court dress in Thailand was a sword (daab) and keris, which makes me wonder if there is or was a sword-and-keris technique. That would be an interesting parallel to the European rapier and main gauche, which was for dueling with an un-armored opponent.

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15th August 2005, 03:10 PM	#2
Mark Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 987	From all that I have seen, I believe your information about SEA armor is correct, at least as far as continental SEA goes. Metal armor was not used. In Burma and Thailand the common soldier (who was a levy soldier) went essentially unarmored, and the more affluent wore a "war coat," which as near as I can tell was of heavy or padded silk, and a leather "war hat" which looked a lot like something Jimmy Buffet might be wearing down in Margaritaville. I have a scan of an old catalogue that shows a war coat and war hat, and if no one else posts it in the meantime I will put it up this evening from home. Two-sword techniques were apparently used regularly in warfare in both Burma and Thailand, as well as sword-and-shield, sword-and-buckler, and double-handed techniques. Each one used a slightly different type of sword. Andrew has done the real research in this area, so hopefully he can add more. I have read that the standard court dress in Thailand was a sword (daab) and keris, which makes me wonder if there is or was a sword-and-keris technique. That would be an interesting parallel to the European rapier and main gauche, which was for dueling with an un-armored opponent.