Date: about 1350 AD This collar is very rare, and shows
extremely skilled craftsmanship. It is made of hundreds of tiny
circles of metal linked together, called mail. At the time this
collar was made soldiers wore full suits of armour made of solid
plates of metal. Mail was still worn underneath this, especially
in the weaker places where the plates joined. A helmet would
protect the knight's head, but there was nothing to cover their
neck and shoulders, so it was particularly important to wear a
mail collar. The collar is made mostly of iron, which would have
looked black. It is decorated with gold-coloured copper links,
so it would have looked very smart.