Body Armor Materials Throughout The History

History is packed with such wars and the troops had discovered new ways to shield their bodies against the weapons. As the usage of arms was becoming normal in wars, there was a need for protective gear and thus body armors for soldiers came into existence. Throughout the development of this protective gear, many different materials were used.

1500 BC

Historical evidence of the usage of helmets and leather armors have been found in this era. The helmets during this era were used by Sumerian soldiers. The materials used to make helmets were copper and the body armor was made of leather. During that time the troops used to boil leather to make it thick and rough and utilize it as body armor. Layers of cloth and cotton were used to get strong padding against blunt attacks. However, leather couldn’t avoid the attack struck by sharper weapons.

1550-1500 BC

The use of leather armor was not sufficient to avoid harsh attacks so the need for bronze plates have arisen. Iron was stronger than bronze but it was not possible to work with the large iron pieces and cut them precisely. Around the 14th century, European metalworkers discovered the method to work with iron and the more solid metal, steel.

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