An early aventail guarded the wearer's head, neck, and chin between a mail shirt and a helmet.
An aventail or camail is a flexible curtain of mail on a helmet that extends to cover the neck and shoulders. The mail could be attached to the helm by threading a leather cord through brass rings at the edge of the helm. Aventails were most commonly seen on bascinets in the 14th century and served as a replacement for a mail coif. Some aventails were decorated with edging in brass or bronze links, or dagged edges. By the late 15th century, the aventail had replaced the mail coif completely. Only those who were poor or who were collectors of the sort had a mail coif.
Aventails were typically attached to the helmet via small staples known as vervelles.
Mail, Maille, Sheets of Links
26 members
Description
Aventail
by Dept of PMM Leather & Link
Jun 3, 2010
An aventail or camail is a flexible curtain of mail on a helmet that extends to cover the neck and shoulders. The mail could be attached to the helm by threading a leather cord through brass rings at the edge of the helm. Aventails were most commonly seen on bascinets in the 14th century and served as a replacement for a mail coif. Some aventails were decorated with edging in brass or bronze links, or dagged edges. By the late 15th century, the aventail had replaced the mail coif completely. Only those who were poor or who were collectors of the sort had a mail coif.
Aventails were typically attached to the helmet via small staples known as vervelles.