African chain mail shirt

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In order to understand European and Indo-Persian riveted mail, the methods of riveting the individual links together needs to be understood. BOTH sides of the mail needs to be seen / photographed as there are important clues as to the origin that can be learned by seeing the outer and inner side of the links.

In Europe somewere around the 13th to 14 th centuries, the age old method of using aternating rows of round riveted links and solid links started to change to a new method. Rivets made in a wedge / triangular shape started to be used. At first the wedge shaped rivets were substituted for the round shaped rivets but the solid links were still used.

At some point in time, possibly around the late 14th to early 15th centuries, European mail makers in increasing numbers started to leave out the solid links, they started to manufacture hauberks with all wedge riveted links. Eventually most if not all European riveted mail makers used this method right up until the last makers of European riveted mail hauberks went out of business.

Below is a graphic which shows the difference in looks between a wedge shaped rivet and a round rivet. You can see the riveted link profiles from both sides. The round rivet heads can be seen from protruding from BOTH sides of the link......while the wedge riveted links are smooth / flat on one side with only the tip of the wedge shaped rivet showing were it was peened over. The wide end of the wedge shaped rivet fits into a slit / slot punched into the link, it is not peened and eventually over time this side of the wedge riveted link can actually be burnished smooth leaving no trace of the rivet to be seen.