Ancient Japanese Samurai Armor

It was not just Roman soldiers and medieval knights that wore armor, but the ancient warriors of China as well. Their protective clothing is known as Samurai Armor.  Made to be very flexible, and gave the wear a wide range of movement.

Like the armor of their peers in Western Europe, Samurai Armor evolved from the materials readily available at the time of development and was augmented over the centuries. As a matter of fact, the first suits of Samurai armor were made from turtle shells, fashioned into wearable clothes. Samurai armor was made from a mixture of materials that included leather and ornate bronze pieces. This was in contrast to steel armor, the type that was popular in both ancient and western societies.

Samurai armor was reserved for soldiers who were in higher ranks and/or more important, and they also rode into battles on chariots, unlike other soldiers who would have to literally run into battle. This was actually a good thing, as suits of Samurai Armor were extremely heavy and prolonged marching or battle would have greatly fatigued even the most conditioned soldier in battle.

In a similar manner to Roman and Spartan armor of the time, Samurai armor was ornately decorated as a representation of the wearer’s importance. Included in the actual pieces of Samurai armor were protective gear, facemasks, and helmets that were worn by the Samurai.

Considered to be collector pieces in todays market, Ancient Samurai suits of armor can be quite expensive. These kinds of suits are displayed at many museums in the world. This includes the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco and the National Museum in Liverpool, Great Britain. However, reproductions of Samurai Armor can be purchased online for less than $5000 for those who are interested in collecting such pieces, but lack the deep pockets of many serious collectors.

Popularity: 2% [?]