Maille components

Chainmail coif or mail coif

The chainmail coif was an indispensable part of European military equipment for centuries. This flexible protection, composed of thousands of metal rings, formed armor that shielded the head, neck, and upper shoulder area. From the early Middle Ages to well into the 14th century, knights, soldiers, and mercenaries wore a chainmail coif as the first layer of defense under their helmet. The network of rings closely followed the contours of the head, allowing the wearer to move freely while still providing a high degree of protection against cutting weapons.

Although the origins of mail go back to the Celtic world before our era, the chainmail coif became a familiar sight on the battlefield especially during the Middle Ages. The rings were typically interwoven in the classic 4-in-1 pattern, where each ring connects four others. Historically, the rings were tightly riveted to prevent them from springing open during combat. As European armorers refined their techniques, they eventually switched entirely to this fully riveted system.

Under a chainmail coif, a soft, shock-absorbing lining of textile or leather was always worn. This lining was necessary to absorb blows that would otherwise directly impact the skull. However, this layer retained heat, requiring soldiers to remain alert to overheating during long battles.

In the late Middle Ages, the traditional chainmail coif was replaced by the aventail.

Aventail

The aventail was an essential part of helmet equipment in the Middle Ages. This flexible collar of metal rings hung around the lower edge of the helmet and provided protection to the neck, throat, and often the shoulders. In some variants, the mail even extended over the cheeks or under the face, leaving only the eyes exposed. In certain types, an additional flap of mail, the ventail, was added that could be closed over the mouth or left open for better ventilation and understandable speech.

The earliest forms of aventails are known from the early Middle Ages in Europe. Helmets from the Vendel period in Scandinavia show that this system was already in use around the 6th and 7th centuries. Well-known finds such as the Valsgärde 8 helmet, where a closed mail mask enclosed the entire face, demonstrate how advanced this protection could be. Another example is the Coppergate helmet from York, where a hanging mail strip protected the neck while the cheeks were covered by metal plates. Examples of helmets with attachment points for similar mail protection are also found in Byzantine military equipment.

During the High Middle Ages, the aventail developed into a standardized part of the bascinet helmet. From the 14th century onwards, the design was further refined: the mail rings were attached to a leather band that was fastened to the helmet with vervelles (small attachment lugs). This allowed the wearer to easily remove or replace the aventail. Many examples were finished with metal decorative edges or a bottom cut into points, which conveyed both protection and status.

At the end of the 14th century, the aventail gradually gave way to full plate protection of the neck, but remained in use for some time by both knights and foot soldiers. Today, the aventail is popular among reenactors, museums, and collectors due to its important role in the evolution of medieval armor.