mail

Interwoven links of iron wire riveted together to form a kind of defensive metal cloth, highly resistant to slashing but less effective against piercing or crushing wounds. During the latter 14th and 15th centuries sometimes the riveted links were interposed with solid links that had been stamped to halve the production time. Mail was made by specialized armourers , and because it was easy to make, seems to have been manufactured all over Europe, first introduced by the Romans during the latter days of their empire. See also Aventail , Ventail , Coif, Hauberk, Haubergeon.

1. interwoven links of iron wire riveted together to form a kind of defensive metal cloth, highly resistant to slashing but less effective against piercing or crushing wounds