Maille, incorrectly referred to as chainmail, has been manufactured since antiquity and the craft of maille making has survived until the modern day, made by drawing wire and forming springs which are then cut into little rings, usually ranging between 4 and 10 millimetres in diameter. The rings are cut in such a way so that the overlap is flattened, and a hole for a rivet is punched in the centre of the flat. Rings are then joined in a pattern, most commonly a 4-1 pattern, forming a dense layer of protection against many attacks and weapons.
I have always been a history enthusiast, especially in warfare, and it has captivated me since childhood. Growing up in Montenegro, a country whose history mainly consisted of the struggle for freedom and independence, thus filled with war, I often heard of epics and feats of folk heroes and knights, gaining a closer connection to the history of warfare. It was not until the last year of high school that I made my first attempt at making armour, although a different type. Following the success of that tedious endeavour, I challenged myself to recreate a 13th-century suit of maille armour worn by the knights of old.
I studied online images of historical pieces, tested techniques, and even attended a maille-making course in a beautiful Bavarian castle. This was all part of a three-year journey of making the full suit. It brought great satisfaction to touch and feel the product of three years of hard work, sweat, and even blood.
Since then, I have been invited to interviews, promoted heritage, and even gave two lectures on the manufacturing of maille armour, thus spreading the knowledge and awareness of this ancient craft. Unfortunately, to my knowledge at least, I remain the sole maille maker in Montenegro, but I hope that will change in the future and that this once flourishing craft will make a comeback once more.
Maille is often depicted in various types of media, from movies, TV shows and video games; thus, quite a lot of people are aware of its existence. However, the interest in it remains low. I believe this could be changed through various workshops and lectures on the functionality and manufacturing of maille as, through my experience, the public tends to be truly captivated by it when allowed to experience it more interactively through touching, testing and making maille.
Hopefully, this craft will continue to live and help people connect with their histories and the lives of times long gone…
Comments