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Warriors as portrayed in a mid-i2th century manuscript, but equipped virtually the same as the Normans a century earlier.

bare-legged, but in generał shoes were worn which had bands attached, and these were criss-crossed over the trousers. Richer men used silk cloth, while the silk embroidery of Saxon England was admired throughout Europę—so much so that William, Duke of Normandy used Saxon embroiderers to record his conąuest of England on the Bayeux tapestry.

F and G: Normans, ioth-uth centuries The Normans illustrated are of necessity based on the Bayeux tapestry but, as mentioned in the text, this source must be interpreted with caution, and there are still many ąueries unanswered. The mail hauberk was morę loose-fitting than the hauberk of the Crusades period, and is shown here slit from hem to crotch. In some cases the divided skirts were laced together to form ‘breeches’ when dismount-ed, but it is highly unlikely that hauberks with breeches attached were worn, as is insinuated by the tapestry: hauberks were normally taken off by pulling them over the head. Examples of mail sleeves and leggings, worn by the higher ranks, are illustrated: notę both types of leggings are well supported and secured, while the mail sleeves must have been attached to leather on some strong cloth garment. The ‘panel’ on the chest of the figurę in Platę G is one of the morę puzzling queries raised by the tapestry. It was probably some form of reinforcement for the breast, which might seem logical, but we shall never know for certain. The panel was not nearly so common as some writers suggest: no morę than about a third ofthe warriors illustrated in hauberks have sucli a panel.

Some form of thick woollen or padded clothing must have been worn under the mail, but again we have no evidence. On the tapestry men are shown nudę when their hauberks are removed, and it has been suggested that the undergarment was attached to the hauberk, but this is most likely only a stylized means ofillustrating victory, with the dead stripped naked. There was probably also some form of padded cap worn under the coif to protect the scalp and cheeks.

In the background of Platę G are two Normans wearing scalę or ąuilted armours. Numerous