Armor - Kacchu

Japanese: 甲冑 - かっちゅう

It is a type of armor worn to protect the body during battle. Below, we will explain armor from Japan, China, Korea, and the West, respectively.

[Motoo Yamagishi]

Japan

Generally, armor consists of a "kabuto" (helmet) worn on the head, a "yoroi" (armor) worn on the body, and small armor (kogusoku) as accessories. In war tales from the Middle Ages onwards, there are examples where "kabuto" is read as "yoroi" and "yoroi" as "kabuto". Armor is a comprehensive craftwork that can be said to be a culmination of craft techniques such as metalwork, lacquerwork, leather, braiding thread, and dyeing and weaving, and is an indispensable and valuable resource for understanding not only the culture, customs, ideas, and historical background of the era in which it was made, but also the techniques and technical standards of the time, as well as the aesthetic sense and tastes of the time.

[Motoo Yamagishi]

Kofun period

The origins of Japanese armor are unclear, but from the armor and armoured haniwa clay figurines excavated from tumuli, it is clear that in the Kofun period, although in its early form, elaborate armor was already widespread and the techniques for making it had advanced. There are two types of armor excavated from tumuli: plate armor made of small triangular or rectangular iron plates bound with leather or riveted, which has been excavated mainly from tumuli dating from the 4th century onwards, and small scale armor made of flexible metal plates, which has been excavated from tumuli from the middle Kofun period onwards and is thought to have been continental armor for horse riding. In archaeology, these are given the names tanko (short armor) and keiko (hanging armor) from the Todaiji Temple Donations Book, with plate armor being called tanko and small scale armor being called kakuko. In archaeology, there are two types of helmets: the Shokakutsuki and the Mabisashitsuki. The Shokakutsuki helmet has a ridge on the front of the bowl and is fitted to plate armor and small bill armor, while the Mabisashitsuki helmet features a large decorative bill on the front of the round bowl and is also fitted to plate armor and small bill armor.

[Motoo Yamagishi]

From the Nara period to the early Heian period

There is not a single complete piece of armor from this period, and only a few written records, remnants of small scale armor from the Shosoin Repository, and fragments excavated from beneath the Shumidan altar of the Great Buddha Hall of Todaiji Temple indicate that the full extent of its style and structure cannot be known, making this period a blank in the history of Japanese armor. Two types of armor, "Short Armor" and "Ball Armor," are recorded in the "Todaiji Offerings Book," "Engishiki," and "Seizeicho." These are thought to be armor styles imitating those of the Tang Dynasty, but they were official armor that was ordered to be manufactured by each province and managed by the state as clothing for soldiers of the military corps established under the Ritsuryo system and for military officers at the central government. The Todaiji Temple Offerings List states, "Ten sets of short armor, one helmet with separate equipment, one pair of armor, one set of guards, one set of armor, one set of armor, and one set of armour coverings," and it is known that the short armor was a military battle armor equipped with small parts for each part. The hanging armor had no accessories and is thought to have been a simpler form of armor. It was mainly used for military purposes by central military officers and as ceremonial guards, but later it became exclusively used for ceremonial guards. Additionally, in the Shoku Nihongi (Chronicles of Japan Continued), there are records of armor thought to be made of cloth, called "cotton armor" and "cotton sliding door helmet."

[Motoo Yamagishi]

From the mid-Heian period to the Kamakura period

Taking advantage of the decline of the Ritsuryo government and the chaos of order, the samurai rose to power, accumulating military power for self-defense and expanding their influence. Medieval armor was created as clothing for the samurai as an armed group. At that time, battles were mainly fought by mounted warriors arching on horseback, while their attendants stood on their feet and fought with uchimono (armor for attacking). Therefore, armor inevitably developed into armor for mounted archery (o-yoroi) and light armor for standing on their feet. The armor for mounted archery, which is described in the diary of the nobles as "tegoi" (sewn cowhide), is thought to be the original armor of medieval o-yoroi, but its actual form is not entirely clear. However, based on relics and documents, it is assumed that it was established by the late Heian period, when the Genpei War of Supremacy took place. O-yoroi is armor for horseback archery, consisting of three parts: the helmet, torso, and sleeves. Black lacquered leather and iron kozane (small plates) are beautifully decorated with various dyed braided threads and leather cords, and the metal fittings and helmet sleeves are covered with painted leather and decorated with metal fittings. The function is practical, while the appearance reflects the emotional and elegant aristocratic culture of the dynasty, and it has become a style unique to Japan, grandiose, artistic, and elegant. For ease of putting on and taking off, the right side of the torso was separated and used as a side shield, a reverse plate was added to the back, a string run was attached to the front for archery, sandalwood and pigeon rump plates were hung down to cover the gaps in the chest and sides, the grass skirt was divided into four sections, large sleeves were attached to the shoulders, and a star-shaped helmet was worn. The small armor included gauntlets, shin guards, half-neck guards, and shoulder guards (knee armor), and became the standard for Japanese armor thereafter. The relics, which date from the Heian period through the Muromachi period, have been handed down to such places as Mitake Shrine in Tokyo, Itsukushima Shrine in Hiroshima Prefecture, Hofu Tenmangu Shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Oyamazumi Shrine in Ehime Prefecture, Kushibiki Hachimangu Shrine in Aomori Prefecture, and Kasuga Taisha Shrine in Nara City. Their attire and complete appearance can be seen in descriptions such as the "Ekotoba: Tales of the Heiji Period" and the "Ekotoba: Mongol Invasion."

The armor used for standing combat is layered with the back side facing up, with the hikiawase on the right side. For ease of walking, the skirt is divided into eight sections, and a gyoyo is placed on the shoulder to protect the shoulders, and as a rule no helmet or sleeves are included. It was mainly worn by foot soldiers standing on the ground, but high-ranking samurai also wore it under their attire when setting out on a lighter voyage. At the time it was called "haramaki" (belly wrap), but later changed to "domaru" (body wrap), and the name haramaki has remained to this day as the name for an even lighter armor with the hikiawase on the back (for convenience, this article will use the current name).

[Motoo Yamagishi]

The Northern and Southern Courts and Muromachi Periods

The two Mongol invasions, the decline of horseback archery after the Northern and Southern Dynasties period, and the popularity of standing-on-foot battles and striking with swords, naginata, and spears in the offensive and defensive battles of mountain castles prompted a reform of armor. Also noteworthy in this period is the fact that the "takabakari" scale, which is 1 shaku 1.5 sun of the carved ruler, became a private scale for armor craftsmen, leading to the standardization of armor and the establishment of a division of labor according to profession. O-yoroi armor was designed to be suitable for standing-on-foot striking, with smaller kozane (small metal plates), a tighter torso, and a lighter sujikabuto (striped helmet) instead of the heavy hoshikabuto (star helmet), but gradually it became less practical and more decorative, becoming a formal item and a garment for soldiers attending festivals, and the originally lightweight domaru (dōmaru) was widely used by higher-ranking warriors instead. Needless to say, helmets and sleeves were added, but the heads of the small metal plates became even finer, and thick layers of lacquer were applied to them, making the production more elaborate and beautiful, and increasing the dignity, with the colors of the armor favored being Katajiro, Katadori, and Iroiro Odori. Small armor gave rise to cheek guards and throat rings, shoulder guards became widespread, and shin guards expanded from the standing guards that covered the knees to become large standing guards, and further, timid armor and armor hangings were invented, and the body was covered completely, reflecting the fierceness of battle, and wide sleeves with flared hems that were invented for fighting with striking weapons were often added. In addition, belly wraps with a wide chest and tight buttocks, a back panel, and a seven-section split kusazuri were also favored for their excellent functionality, and were used with sujikabuto and large sleeves, or tapered sleeves that were advantageous for striking battles, and reached their peak in the late Muromachi period. Therefore, the Muromachi period can be called the domaru belly wrap era in the history of armor. The popularity of domaru and belly wraps is known from the large number of remains, and their appearance is vividly depicted in works such as "Junirui Kassen Ekotoba," "Akiyonaga Monogatari Ekotoba," and "Yuki Kassen Ekotoba," and is described in detail in "Hosokawa Sumimoto Eiko," "Ogasawara Tomotsune Eiko," and "Saito Dainagon Masayoshi Eiko." A further simplification of the belly wrap was the "haraate" (belly guard), which only protected the chest and abdomen, and its appearance is depicted in the "Jikaizu" (Map of the Ten Worlds). The increased demand due to the continuation of fighting led to the creation of simple armor such as the "tsutsumi" domaru and "tsutsumi" belly wrap, which were made of Iyo-zane and furukozane leather and bound with diamond stitching, or the "kin domaru" and "kana" belly wrap, which were made of board-shaped plain armor. In addition, the custom of engraving the maker's name on the underside of the headband began, and armor makers such as Haruta, Saotome, Iwai, and Myochin expanded their field of activity and worked hard at making armor.

[Motoo Yamagishi]

From the Azuchi-Momoyama period to the early Edo period

From the end of the Muromachi period to the Momoyama period, the introduction and rapid spread of firearms, the development of castles, changes in tactics and military systems, and the import of cultural artifacts from the South China Sea forced a major change in armor, forcing the decline of not only o-yoroi but also domaru and haramaki, and promoting the creation of armor that could adapt to the tactics of the new era. The new style of armor that is thought to have been created in the early modern period basically followed the domaru style and adopted the right-drawing style, and in addition to the helmet and torso, small armor (kogusoku) was intentionally made as a special item integrated with the torso, and was called "gusoku" because it was based on the principle of a kaigu composition, and was called "tosei gusoku" (modern armor) because it meant modern armor, and it was all the rage from the Momoyama period to the early Edo period. In addition to being made of small plates, contemporary armor was influenced by imported Nanban armor (Western armor) and in response to spears and guns, many of them were made with board armor or leather-wrapped Iyo armor riveted or bound with leather, and had no striding (bending and stretching). Two- and five-plate armors were made with hinges to make them easier to put on and take off, and the swaying threads that held the kusazuri to the torso were made longer to reduce the weight on the torso and for striding. Sleeves were abolished or reduced in size to reflect the fighting style, and stand-up collars, shoulder pads, and small fins were invented to protect the neck and shoulders. The surface was often gold rust or wrapped in leather, and new decorative techniques were adopted, including inlay, makie, gold and silver leaf pressing, and embossed patterns. A gattari was placed at the top of the back of the torso, and a machiuke was placed at the bottom to indicate affiliation or position, and a sashimono was placed to highlight the wearer. Helmets also underwent a complete redesign, resulting in a variety of different designs. In addition to star-shaped and striped helmets, peach-shaped, head-shaped, and unusually shaped harikake kabuto helmets became popular, along with standing objects with innovative designs.

[Motoo Yamagishi]

From the mid-Edo period onwards

Around the Genroku period (1688-1704), when the power of the Edo Shogunate was established and the political situation was stable, a trend towards decorative armor began to emerge even in armor intended for practical use, resulting in armor lacking dignity and decorated with unnecessary ornaments that seemed to show off authority, and tosei gusoku lost its original form. Furthermore, as a result of armor research by scholars such as Arai Hakuseki and Ise Sadatake, as well as by Kojike, medieval armor was rediscovered, and armor in the medieval style, such as o-yoroi, domaru, and haramaki, was produced in a style known as revival. However, reflecting the immaturity of research and the trend of the era of glorifying peace, the trend was towards extravagance and dignity, and it was far from being practical. Thus, early modern armor came to be diverse and varied in style, structure, and appearance. However, with the adoption of modern military systems and the development of firearms, it became obsolete and came to an end with the collapse of samurai society.

[Motoo Yamagishi]

China

The primitive form of armor in this country (until around the 15th century BC) is thought to have been made of wisteria vines, pieces of wood, leather, etc., to cover the main parts of the body in order to protect the wearer from attacks. For example, the wisteria armor used by the Yami people of Taiwan until around the early 20th century is made of wisteria vines in a vest-like structure and a hat-like structure for the helmet, with leather and fish skins pasted on the surface. The Yi people of Sichuan Province also use cowhide cut into the chest, sides, and back, decorated with a pattern, and combined into a single piece to cover the torso, and then stitched together thin pieces of leather to make waist armor. At first glance, it looks similar to medieval Japanese belly warmers, but it is leather armor painted with yellow pigment all over and has no helmet. Currently, one of these armors is preserved at the Institute of Ethnology at the Academia Sinica in Taipei.

Regarding the Yin and Zhou dynasties, the entry on Kanjin (armor makers) in the Kaogongji section of the Chinese classic "Zhou Rites" states, "Kanjin make armor. There are seven types of rhinoceros armor, with a lifespan of 100 years. There are six types of ji (a type of wild buffalo) armor, with a lifespan of 200 years. There are five types of combined armor, with a lifespan of 300 years." This shows that armor was made from animal leather. Wooden soldier figures wearing painted leather armor on a black background have also been excavated from Chu tombs in Changsha. Remnants of relatively large, square pieces of leather armor stitched together and painted with lacquer have also been excavated from Zhou to Spring and Autumn tombs in Anyang, Changsha, and Jiangling. A bronze helmet (a one-piece casting, like many of the bronze Ming artifacts from the Shang and Zhou dynasties) was excavated from an ancient tomb at Houjiazhuang in Anyang, and restoration drawings of it with leather armor have been reported.

From the Spring and Autumn to the Qin dynasty, the "Explanation of the Classics" states that "in ancient times, leather was used. Since the Qin and Han dynasties, iron has been used," and we can see that armor made of iron plates first appeared during this period. In 1965, 89 iron armor plates were excavated from the Yan Tombs in Yi County, Hebei Province, and restoration photographs and drawings have been reported.

Furthermore, in the spring of 1974, about 6,000 life-size soldier figurines and warhorses from the First Emperor's Imperial Guard Corps, as well as chariots and weapons, were excavated five kilometers east of the Mausoleum of the First Emperor on the outskirts of Xi'an. The soldier figurines are wearing armor, which researchers have classified into two categories and six types. Category 1 is military officer-class armor, and category 2 is soldier armor. They are classified by military branch, but upon closer investigation, differences can be seen within each type. It is not clear from the figurines how they were worn, but there is a string tying the top and bottom together and a buckle (horn button) on the right chest, which indicates that they were fastened around the chest.

During the Han dynasty, a note in the "Huo Qubing Zhengyi" in the Records of the Grand Historian states that "the Xuanjiao is iron armor," indicating the widespread use of iron armor. Xuanjiao refers to black armor, black metal, i.e., iron. In 1957-1958, a rusty piece of iron armor was excavated from an ancient tomb from the Western Han period in Luoyang, but its full details are unknown. The type of iron plate is similar to ancient Japanese kegashi (armor with iron plates). In 1959, a well-preserved piece of iron armor was unearthed from the site of a Han dynasty castle in Inner Mongolia. In 1968, a piece of iron plate armor was unearthed from an ancient tomb from the Western Han period in Mancheng County, Hebei Province. Unlike the two previously mentioned pieces, the iron plate is extremely small and appears to be scale-like. There have been several other reports, but all of them are very similar to Japanese kegashi. The soldier figurine excavated from a Han tomb also resembles the iron armor.

Regarding the Northern and Southern Dynasties, names such as black light armor, bright light armor, ryotou armor, and red-lacquered armor (called kansa armor in the Taiping Yulan) can be found in the "Shang Gai Hyō" (All Ancient Three Dynasties Qin Han Sankoku Dynasty Texts) by Cao Zhi of Wei, but there are no known examples of excavated remains. They can only be seen in excavated gray pottery warrior figurines. Black light armor is thought to be iron plate armor from a previous period, but ryotou, bright light, red-lacquered, and ring-lacquered armor are new types of armor that have never been seen before.

Armor from the Sui dynasty basically followed the style of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, and excavated warrior figurines show that Ryotou armor and Mingguang armor were the mainstream. Many names remain in the literature, but no relics have been reported.

There are no excavated examples of armor from the Tang dynasty, and only a few are seen on warrior figurines, stone carvings at the Zhaoling Mausoleum, and murals and clay statues at the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang, but most of them are ryo-tou armor or ming-guang armor. However, these are only depicted on divine general statues (the medieval Four Heavenly Kings statues seen in Japanese temples are also of the same style), and there are no remains, so it is unclear whether they were used in practice. The Ming dynasty also followed the Song dynasty armor system, becoming a bellyband-style tag armor, with larger helmets, chests, and sleeves.

From the Qing dynasty, there are surviving artifacts (preserved at the Palace Museum in Beijing) and paintings, which show that both seem to have inherited the armor system from the Ming dynasty. As time went on, the middle of the helmet was narrowed, becoming funnel-shaped, following the Mongolian style. The body armor was worn like clothing, tucked into the shoulders and fastened at the front, and the arm armor became sleeves that divided into left and right sides to cover the upper arms. The knee armor also became longer like a skirt hem, and iron plates were attached to the inside of the fabric, with rivet heads holding them in place being visible on the outside. Furthermore, different patterns depending on status and rank were expressed on the surface of the fabric by embroidering with gold, silver, colored threads, etc. However, these also came to an end with the modernization of the late Qing dynasty.

[Kunimasa Otsuka]

Korea

Like other countries, it is believed to have developed from a primitive form, but its existence is known from the Three Kingdoms period (4th to 7th centuries). These can be seen in the murals of ancient tombs in Goguryeo and relics excavated from Silla tombs. At the entrance to Angak Tomb No. 2 (5th century), Daeri, Angak County, South Hwanghae Province, a warrior is depicted on each side of the wall, wearing a round hat-like helmet with a pointed base and feather-like ornaments on the tip, short cylindrical sleeve armor, armor that covers the waist, and trouser-like armor. The surface is made of scaly small plates, reminiscent of iron armor from the Han Dynasty in China. Several other murals of warriors have been discovered, but they are all limited to the area around Pyongyang, and the style is that of plate armor, which has some similarities to Japanese kaku armor, but the details are unknown. In 1978, short armor and iron helmets made of iron plates were excavated from the 32nd ancient tomb of Jisan-dong Tomb Group, Goryeong-myeon, Goryeong-gun, North Gyeongsang Province, and several other examples have been reported. All of these are very similar to the short armor with riveted horizontally glued plates, helmets with rams, short armor with leather triangular plates, and helmets with visors, which have been excavated in large numbers in Japan. From the time of the unification of Silla to the Goryeo period (10th to 14th centuries), as is clear from the stone carvings in the tombs, the armor system of the Tang and Song dynasties was inherited, and from the 13th century onwards, cotton sliding armor and funnel-shaped iron (leather) helmets based on the armor system of the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties became popular. However, like China, the idea of Chongwen Hibu was strong, and there are few records and relics.

[Kunimasa Otsuka]

Western

The exact origin of armor (Ancient Orient) is unknown, but excavated items and reliefs show that the Sumerians of the 3rd millennium BC already had fairly advanced armor. In particular, the "Helmet of Mes-Kalam-Dugu" unearthed in the royal tomb of Ur is famous as a ceremonial helmet made by hammering a single gold plate with intricate engravings. A relief plate has also been discovered depicting a formation of soldiers wearing pointed helmets and carrying large shields. The "Victory Monument of King Naram-Sin" from the Akkadian dynasty shows the king wearing a conical helmet with ox horns.

It is assumed that in Egypt, kings and other people of high rank wore helmets, but there are few definite examples, and it is not clear what distinguishes a helmet from a crown. The so-called "blue crown," which is thought to have originated from a battle helmet, is particularly noteworthy. Leather was probably used for torso protection throughout the ancient world, but details are unknown. Round and rectangular shields were widely used in both Mesopotamia and Egypt. Most were made of wooden boards with leather pasted on them, and ceremonial shields often had extremely elaborate decorations, as seen in the example of King Tutankhamun's tomb.

Mycenaean soldiers in the Aegean civilization wore helmets decorated with boar tusks and feathers. They also invented a type of armor that covered from the neck to the knees, made of several wide bronze plates joined together. The armor excavated at Dendera is a good example of this. In Greece, helmets made of metal and leather became common, with particular attention paid to protecting the bridge of the nose and cheeks. Several standard styles were created, but the Corinthian style is the most representative. Many ingenious designs are seen, such as attaching a fin-shaped decorative plate, horsehair, or bird feathers to the top of the bowl, and making parts such as the face shield and brow visor movable. The armor took the form of a breastplate (thrax) that mainly covered the torso, and a skirt-like material such as felt hung from the bottom to protect the legs and enable agile movement. In the case of leather breastplates, small metal plates were sometimes sewn onto them in the form of scales. Roman armor basically followed the Greek style, but for ceremonial parades, elaborately decorated armor became popular, and thereafter, Western armor became clearly divided into those for battle and those for ceremonies.

In the Middle Ages, thin iron plates were used as the material for armor, and a wide variety of durable armor, made by connecting curved tongues, appeared in various styles that were easy to move in. Horse armor was also invented for mounted combat. Iron also came to be widely used for helmets, and various designs were devised to protect the face, head, and neck. Examples include helmets that covered the entire head with only a gap for the eyes, and helmets with a protruding mouth like a bird's beak to deflect enemy arrows and spears. In addition to iron plates, chain mail was also widely used. These armors were made by specialized craftsmen, and some were artistically very excellent. In particular, royalty, nobility, and knights competed to obtain the best armor and took pride in it, so in the late Middle Ages it became an important field of metalwork.

Because the making of armor requires many different processing techniques, a division of labor developed and production became concentrated in certain cities. Damascus in the Islamic world and Augsburg in Germany are known for their particularly excellent armor. Also, due to its nature, armor actively adopted styles from other ethnic groups. For example, in the Roman era, the "lorica," a leather tag with a metal plate sewn onto it, was widely used, but in the Middle Ages, this lorica style was combined with a chainmail-like vest favored by northern barbarians, giving birth to the so-called "adubman." The chainmail style was also adopted for helmets, and metal helmets with hemispherical or conical tops were sometimes worn on top of them.

With the invention of mechanical crossbows and even firearms, armor became increasingly heavy, with particular emphasis on protecting the head, including the face. The ancient visor became stronger, more sophisticated, and more functional. Many of them had a support at the temple, and could be raised to expose the face to the air when not needed. The "bassine" helmet, which was popular in the 14th and 15th centuries, is a typical example of this type. There was a tendency to cover parts of the body other than the head as much as possible. In the case of full-body armor that covered not only the neck, shoulders, and chest, but also the arms and palms, or even the waist and toes with connected pieces of iron, it was not uncommon for the number of parts to exceed 100, large and small. This type of complex heavy armor reached its peak from the late 16th century to the 17th century.

The development of firearms in the early modern period rendered traditional armor almost useless. In particular, the destructive power of cannonballs made personal armor meaningless, and soldiers abandoned armor altogether for a time in the 17th and 18th centuries. In modern times, however, the effectiveness of so-called iron helmets in protecting the head was rediscovered, and they came into widespread use on the battlefield. In both world wars, most soldiers fought wearing iron helmets.

[Nao Tomobe]

〔Things from before the Meiji period〕 ▽ 'A Study of Military Weapons of Japan' by Arai Hakuseki, 'Military Records' by Ise Sadatake (included in 'Kojitsu Sosho 21', 1954, Meiji Tosho Publishing)' ▽ 'Murai Masahiro's 'A Summary of the Use of Armor in a Single Arm' (included in 'Zoku Zuihitsu Bungaku Senshu', 1928, Zuihitsu Bungaku Senshu Publishing Association)' ▽ ' Matsudaira Sadanobu (editor), 'Jushuu Koko' (1908, Kokusho Kankokai)' ▽ 〔Things from after the Meiji period〕 ▽ 'Yamagami Hachiro's 'New Research on Japanese Armor' (1942, Iikura Shoten)' ▽ 'Suenaga Masao's 'Armor of Ancient Japan' (1944, Sogensha)' ▽ 'Suzuki Keizo's 'A Study of the History of Customs and Manners of Early Picture Scrolls' (1960, Yoshikawa Kobunkan)' ▽ "Nakamura Shundei's posthumous manuscripts, Suzuki Keizo's edited and commented 'Armor Sketches' (1979, Yoshikawa Kobunkan)" ▽ "[Introductory Book]" ▽ "Armor edited by Ozaki Motoharu" (included in Japanese Art 24, 1968, Shibundo)" ▽ "Yamagami Hachiro and Yamagishi Motoo's 'Armor and Helmets' (Hoikusha, Color Books)" ▽ "Yang Hong's 'Collection of Essays on Ancient Chinese Weapons' (1980, Beijing Cultural Relics Publishing Bureau)"

Names of each part of O-yoroi
©Tatsuo Ikeda ">

Names of each part of O-yoroi

Main types of intimidation
© Hiroki Sato ">

Main types of intimidation

"Illustrated Story of the Battle of Yuki"
Scene of Ashikaga Mochiuji's suicide. Copy by Ise Sadatake, 1768 (Meiwa 5), owned by the National Diet Library .

"Illustrated Story of the Battle of Yuki"

Modern armor
Late 18th century - 19th century (Collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art )

Modern armor

The evolution of Chinese armor
©Tatsuo Ikeda ">

The evolution of Chinese armor

Ancient Greek Armor
Corinthian helmet (left) and shin guard. Early 5th century BC. Bronze. Helmet height 30.6 cm. Shin guard length approx. 39 cm. Collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Greece.

Ancient Greek Armor

Names of the various parts of Western armor (16th century)
©Tatsuo Ikeda ">

Names of the various parts of Western armor (16th century)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

戦闘の際に着用して身体を保護する武具である。以下順に、日本、中国、朝鮮、西洋の甲冑について解説する。

［山岸素夫］

日本

一般に、頭にかぶる「かぶと」（兜・冑）と身体にまとう「よろい」（甲・鎧）、および付属具の小具足(こぐそく)をもって構成される。なお、中世以降の軍記物語などでは、冑を「よろい」、甲を「かぶと」と読んでいる例もある。甲冑は金工、漆工、韋革、組糸、染織などの工芸技術の集大成ともいうべき総合的な工芸品で、これが製作された時代の文化、風俗、思想、歴史的な背景はもとより、当時の技法や技術水準、さらに美意識や好尚を知るうえで欠かせぬ貴重な資料の一面をもっている。

［山岸素夫］

古墳時代

日本の甲冑の起源は明らかでないが、古墳出土の甲冑と武装埴輪(はにわ)の表現から、古墳時代には、初期的な形態ながら、すでに精巧な甲冑が普及し、進歩した作技のあったことが判明する。古墳出土の甲冑は、おもに4世紀以降の古墳から出土する、三角形や長方形の小鉄板を革綴(かわとじ)あるいは鋲留(びょうどめ)して形成した板物(いたもの)製の甲と、中期以降の古墳から出土し、大陸系の騎馬用の甲冑と考えられる屈伸のよい小札(こざね)製の甲との2種がある。考古学ではこれに、『東大寺献物帳』記載の短甲(たんこう)と挂甲(けいこう)の名称をあて、板物甲を短甲、小札甲を挂甲と称している。兜も考古学上で衝角付(しょうかくつき)、眉庇付(まびさしつき)とよばれる2種がある。衝角付は鉢の正面に鎬(しのぎ)を立てた兜で、板物甲と小札甲に具し、眉庇付は丸鉢の正面に設けられた大形の装飾的な眉庇を特色とし、これも板物甲と小札甲に具す。

［山岸素夫］

奈良時代から平安前期

この時代は、完全な甲冑の遺物が1領もなく、わずかな文献の記述と、正倉院伝来の小札残欠(こざねざんけつ)および東大寺大仏殿須弥壇(しゅみだん)下出土の残片などによってうかがうのみで、その型式、構造の全容を知りえず、当期は日本甲冑史上の空白期になっている。『東大寺献物帳』『延喜式(えんぎしき)』『正税帳』などに「短甲」と「挂甲」との2種の甲冑の記載がある。これらは唐制模倣の甲冑型式と思われるが、律令(りつりょう)制によって設置された軍団の兵士や中央の武官の着料として、諸国に命じて造進せしめ国家により管理された官製の甲冑である。『東大寺献物帳』に「短甲十具、具別冑一口、甲一領、行縢(むかばき)一具、覆臂(たおおい)一具」とあり、短甲は各部の小具足を備えた軍陣の甲冑であったことが知られる。挂甲には具すものなく、簡略な甲であったと考えられる。おもに中央の武官の武用や儀仗(ぎじょう)に用いられたが、のちにはもっぱら儀仗の料となった。また、『続日本紀(しょくにほんぎ)』などに「綿(めん)甲冑」と「綿襖冑(めんおうちゅう)」という布帛(ふはく)製と思われる甲冑の記載がある。

［山岸素夫］

平安中期から鎌倉時代

律令政治の衰退と秩序の混乱に乗じて武士が台頭し、自衛のために武力を蓄え勢力の拡大を図った。この武装集団としての武士の私(わたくし)の着料として発生したのが中世の甲冑である。当時の戦闘は、騎馬武者による騎射戦を主とし、従者は徒立(かちだち)となり打物(うちもの)をとって戦ったので、甲冑は必然的に騎射戦用の鎧（大鎧）と徒立打物戦用の軽便な甲とに分かれて発達した。公家(くげ)日記などに「綴牛皮(てごい)」と記されている騎射戦用の甲冑が、中世大鎧の原初的な甲冑と想像されるが実体はかならずしも明らかでない。しかし、遺物・文献などにより、源平争覇の戦いの行われた平安後期には、それらがいちおうの成立をみたものと推定される。大鎧は、兜・胴・袖(そで)の3部分をもって一領を形成する騎射戦用の甲冑である。黒漆塗りの革や鉄の小札(こざね)を、いろいろに染めた組糸・韋緒(かわお)などの威毛(おどしげ)を用いて美しく威(おど)し立て、金具廻(かなぐまわり)や兜の吹返(ふきかえし)などに画韋(えがわ)を張り、金物を打って装飾した。機能は実用を旨とし、外容は情緒的で優美な王朝の貴族文化を反映して、雄偉壮麗かつ工芸的で、日本独特の様式を示すに至った。着脱の便から胴の右側を分離して脇楯(わいだて)とし背に逆板(さかいた)を設け、弓射のために正面に弦走(つるばしり)を張り、栴檀(せんだん)、鳩尾(きゅうび)の板を垂下して胸脇(わき)のすきまを覆い、草摺(くさずり)は四間に分割し、肩上(わたがみ)に大袖をつけ、星兜をかぶった。小具足は籠手(こて)、臑当(すねあて)のほか半首(はつぶり)、佩楯(はいだて)（膝鎧(ひざよろい)）などを付属し、以後の日本の甲冑の規範となった。遺物は東京都御嶽(みたけ)神社、広島県厳島(いつくしま)神社、山口県防府(ほうふ)天満宮、愛媛県大山祇(おおやまづみ)神社、青森県櫛引八幡宮(くしびきはちまんぐう)、奈良市春日(かすが)大社などに、平安時代から室町時代にわたる優品が伝来し、その着装と完備の姿は『平治(へいじ)物語絵詞(えことば)』『蒙古(もうこ)襲来絵詞』などの描写によってしのびうる。

　徒立打物戦用の甲は、引合(ひきあわせ)を右側に設け、その後側を上にして重ね合せる。歩行の便から草摺は八間に分割し、肩上に杏葉(ぎょうよう)をつけて、肩先を守り、原則として兜・袖は具さない。おもに徒立の下卒に着用されたが、上級武士も軽快に出立(いでた)つときは装束の下に着籠(きこ)めた。当時は「腹巻(はらまき)」と呼称されていたが、のちに「胴丸(どうまる)」と変わり、腹巻の名は、引合を背中に設けたいっそう軽快な甲の名称として今日に至った（本項では便宜上、現在の名称を用いる）。

［山岸素夫］

南北朝・室町時代

二度に及ぶ蒙古軍の襲来と南北朝時代以降の騎射戦の減退、山城(やまじろ)の攻防に伴う徒立(かちだち)戦と太刀(たち)、長刀(なぎなた)、槍(やり)などによる打物戦の流行は、甲冑の改革を促した。また、当期において注目すべきは、曲尺(かねじゃく)の1尺1寸5分を1尺とする「タカバカリ」が甲冑工専用の私尺となり、甲冑に規格化を生じ、職能に応じた分業体制が整備されたことである。大鎧は小札(こざね)を縮小し、胴尻を引き締め、重厚な星兜にかえて軽快な筋兜(すじかぶと)を具し、徒立打物戦への対応を図ったが、漸次実用を離れ、加飾して威儀の料や祭礼の随兵の着料となり、かわって元来軽便な胴丸が上級武士に広く用いられた。兜と袖が添えられたことはいうまでもないが、いっそう細かくなった小札の札頭(さねがしら)に厚く漆を盛り上げ、製作は精巧美麗となり、品位を増し、威(おどし)の色目は肩白(かたじろ)、肩取(かたどり)、色々威(いろいろおどし)などが好まれた。小具足は頬当(ほおあて)、喉輪(のどわ)を生じ、佩楯(はいだて)が普及し、臑当(すねあて)は膝頭を覆う立挙(たてあげ)を拡大して大立挙となり、さらに臆病金(おくびょうがね)や甲懸(こうがけ)の考案があり、熾烈(しれつ)な戦いを反映して身体をすきまなく覆うに至り、打物戦用に考案された裾広がりの広袖を添えることも多かった。また、胸部を広く胴尻を引き締め、引合(ひきあわせ)を背中に設け、草摺を七間に分割した腹巻も、その優れた機能性が好まれて用いられ、筋兜と大袖、あるいは裾(すそ)つぼまりで打物戦に有利な壺袖(つぼそで)を具し、室町後期に全盛を極めた。それゆえ、室町時代は甲冑史上、胴丸腹巻時代と称することができよう。胴丸と腹巻の盛行は遺物の多いことによっても知られるが、その皆具(かいぐ)のようすは『十二類合戦絵詞』『秋夜長物語絵詞』『結城(ゆうき)合戦絵詞』などに活写され、「細川澄元(すみもと)画像」「小笠原朝経(おがさわらともつね)画像」「斎藤大納言(だいなごん)正義画像」に詳細に描かれている。腹巻をさらに簡略にして、胸腹部のみを防護する「腹当(はらあて)」も用いられ、その姿は『十界図』に描かれている。戦闘の永続に伴う需要の増大は、伊予札(いよざね)や古小札(ふるこざね)を韋包(かわづつ)み菱綴(ひしとじ)した包（裹(つつみ)）胴丸や包腹巻、あるいは金胴丸、金(かな)腹巻という板物素懸威(いたものすがけおどし)の簡素な甲冑を生じた。また、作者の名を鉢裏などに刻むことが始まり、春田、早乙女(さおとめ)、岩井、明珍などの具足師は、その活躍の場を拡大して製作に励んだ。

［山岸素夫］

安土桃山時代から江戸前期

室町末期から桃山時代にかけての鉄砲の伝来と急速な普及、城郭の発達、戦法や兵制の変化ならびに南蛮の文物の輸入は、甲冑に大変革を迫り、大鎧はもちろん、胴丸や腹巻も衰退を余儀なくされ、新時代の戦法に適応する甲冑の成立が促進された。近世初頭に成立したとみられる新様式の甲冑は、基本的には胴丸の型式を踏襲して右引合の型式をとり、兜・胴のほか小具足(こぐそく)を意図的に胴と一体に、専用のものとしてつくり、皆具(かいぐ)の構成を原則とすることから「具足(ぐそく)」と称し、今様の甲冑の意をもって「当世具足(とうせいぐそく)」とよばれ、桃山時代から江戸前期にかけて一世を風靡(ふうび)した。当世具足は、小札製のほか、舶来の南蛮具足(なんばんぐそく)（西洋の甲冑）の影響と槍、鉄砲への対応から、板札(いたざね)や革包みの伊予札(いよざね)を鋲留または革綴した足掻(あが)き（屈伸）のない立胴式が多く、着脱を容易にするために蝶番(ちょうつがい)を用いた二枚胴、五枚胴がつくられ、草摺を胴に威し付ける揺糸(ゆるぎいと)は胴の負担重量を軽減する着用法と足掻きのため長くなった。打物戦を反映して袖は廃止あるいは縮小するに至り、頸廻(くびまわ)りと肩の防護のために立襟(たてえり)、肩当(かたあて)、小鰭(こひれ)が考案された。表面は金錆(かなさび)地や革包みが多く、新しい加飾法が採用され、象眼(ぞうがん)、蒔絵(まきえ)、金銀箔(はく)押し、文様の打出しなどさまざまの手法が行われた。胴背面の上部に合当理(がったり)、下部に待受(まちうけ)を設け、所属や役職を示し、自己を顕揚するために指物(さしもの)を立てた。兜も形状を一新し種々のものを生じた。星兜、筋兜のほか、桃形(ももなり)、頭形(ずなり)あるいは奇抜な造形になる張懸兜(はりかけかぶと)が、斬新(ざんしん)な意匠の立物(たてもの)とともに流行した。

［山岸素夫］

江戸中期以降

江戸幕府の権力が確立し政情の安定した元禄(げんろく)（1688～1704）ごろになると、実用を旨とした甲冑にも加飾の風がおこり、権威を誇示するがごとき無用の装飾を施した品位に欠けるものを生じ、当世具足はその形式を崩した。さらに新井白石(あらいはくせき)、伊勢貞丈(いせさだたけ)などの学者、故実家による甲冑研究の結果、中世の甲冑が再認識され、大鎧、胴丸、腹巻など中世の様式による復古調とよばれる甲冑が製作された。しかし、研究の未熟と泰平謳歌(おうか)の時代的風潮を反映して華美に流れ、威儀を主としたので、実用にはほど遠いものであった。かくして近世の甲冑は形式、構造、外容とも多岐にわたり、変化に富むものとなったが、しょせん、近代的な兵制の採用と火砲の発達の前に無用の長物となり、武家社会の崩壊とともに終焉(しゅうえん)のときを迎えたのである。

［山岸素夫］

中国

この国の甲冑の原始型（紀元前15世紀ころまで）は、相手の攻撃から身を守るために、フジの蔓(つる)、木片、皮革などを用いて、体の主要部分を覆ったものと考えられる。たとえば台湾のヤミ族が20世紀初頭ころまで使用してきた藤甲(ふじこう)は、フジの蔓をチョッキ風に、冑(かぶと)は帽子風に枠組み構成し、表面に皮革、魚皮などを貼(は)っている。また四川(しせん)省イ族には、牛革を胸、脇(わき)、背と裁ち、文様を施して一枚続きにあわせて胴を覆い、細幅の革片を綴(つづ)り合わせて腰鎧(こしよろい)とする。一見、中世の日本の腹巻に似ているが、全体に黄色の顔料を塗った革甲で、冑はない。現在この甲冑は台北の中央研究院内民族学研究所に1領保存されている。

　殷(いん)・周(しゅう)の時代に関しては、中国の古典『周礼(しゅらい)』の考工記、函人(かんじん)（甲冑製作者）の項に「函人甲を為(つく)る。犀甲(さいこう)七つの属(こざね)、寿(じゅ)（耐用年数）は百年。兕(じ)（野牛の一種）甲六属、寿二百年。合甲(ごうこう)五属、寿三百年」とあり、動物の革で甲冑を製作したことを示す。また長沙(ちょうさ)の楚(そ)の古墓から黒色地に彩色した革甲を着けた兵士木俑(もくよう)が出土している。そのほか安陽、長沙、江陵の周～春秋期の古墓から、比較的大形で方形の革甲片の綴り合わせに髹漆(きゅうしつ)（漆(うるし)塗り）した残欠が発掘されている。安陽の候家庄(こうかしょう)の古墓からは青銅製冑（多くの殷周青銅明器と同様に一体造りの鋳造品）が出土し、革甲とあわせた復原図が報告されている。

　春秋～秦(しん)時代には『経典釈文』に「古(いにしえ)の作は革を用う。秦漢以来鉄を用う」とあり、この時期に初めて鉄札(さね)製甲冑が出現したことがわかる。1965年、河北省易県の燕墓(えんぼ)から鉄冑の小札89枚が発掘され、復原写真、復原図が報告されている。

　また1974年春、西安郊外始皇陵(しこうりょう)東方5キロメートルの地点で、始皇帝近衛(このえ)軍団の等身大の兵士俑と軍馬俑約6000体、戦車、武具などが発掘された。その兵士俑は甲を着けており、研究者によって2類6型式に分類、報告されている。第1類は武官級、第2類は兵士用甲である。兵種により区分されているが、詳しく調査すると各型式内にも違いがみられる。着用方法は俑からは判然としないが、右胸上に上下を結ぶ紐(ひも)と鞐(こはぜ)（角(つの)ボタン）があり、胸元を締めているものと解される。

　漢代には『史記正義』の「霍去病伝(かくきょへいでん)」の注に「玄甲は鉄甲なり」とあり、鉄甲の普及が示されている。玄甲とは黒い甲、黒い金属すなわち鉄を示す。1957～1958年、洛陽(らくよう)の前漢時代の古墓からさびついた鉄鎧1領が発掘されたが、全容は不明。鉄札の型式は日本古代の挂甲(けいこう)に似る。1959年、内蒙古(うちもうこ)の漢代城址(じょうし)から保存のよい鉄鎧1領が出土。1968年、河北省満城県の前漢古墓から鉄札鎧1領が出土、前述2領と異なり鉄札がきわめて小さく、一見鱗(うろこ)状である。このほか数件の報告があるが、いずれも日本の挂甲に酷似している。漢墓出土の兵士俑も出土鉄鎧に相似する。

　南北朝時代に関しては魏(ぎ)の曹植(そうち)の『上鎧表(じょうがいひょう)』（全上古三代秦漢三国文朝文）に黒光(こくこう)鎧、明光(めいこう)鎧、両当(りょうとう)鎧、赤練(せきれん)鎧（『太平御覧』では環鎖(かんさ)鎧となる）などの名称がみられるものの、遺物の出土例は聞かない。出土する灰陶(かいとう)の武人俑にみるのみである。黒光鎧は前時代からの鉄札鎧と考えられるが、両当、明光、赤練、環鎖は、いままでになく、新型式の鎧である。

　隋(ずい)代の甲冑は、基本的に南北朝代の型式を踏襲し、両当鎧、明光鎧が主流であることが出土武人俑により知られる。文献には多くの名称が残るが、遺物は報告されていない。

　唐代の甲冑も出土例がなく、わずかに武人俑、昭陵(しょうりょう)の石刻像、敦煌莫高窟(とんこうばっこうくつ)の壁画や塑像にみるだけであるが、ほとんど両当鎧、明光鎧である。しかしこれらは神将像だけに表現され（日本の寺院にみる中世の四天王像も同型式）ており、遺物はなく、実用化については不明である。明(みん)代も宋(そう)の甲制の踏襲で、腹巻式の札鎧になり、冑、胸前、袖(そで)が大形化する。

　清(しん)代になると、伝世品（北京(ペキン)の故宮博物院に保存）や絵画作品があり、それによると、いずれも明代の甲制を受け継いでいるようである。時代が下ると冑の中間が絞られ、漏斗(ろうと)状になり、蒙古形を踏襲している。胴甲は衣服風に肩を入れて着用し、前合わせで、臂(ひじ)鎧は袖となり左右に分かれ上膊(じょうはく)を覆う。膝(ひざ)鎧も裳裾(もすそ)様に長くなり、鉄札は布地の裏につけられ、表にはそれを留めた鋲頭(びょうとう)がみられる。さらに身分、階級によりそれぞれ異なった文様を布の表面に金・銀・色糸などの刺しゅうによって表現する。しかしこれらも清朝末の近代化のなかで終焉(しゅうえん)を迎える。

［大塚国正］

朝鮮

他の国々と同様に原始型から発展してきたと考えられるが、その存在が知られるのは三国時代（4～7世紀）からである。これらは高句麗(こうくり)の古墳壁画や新羅(しらぎ)古墳出土の遺物にみられる。黄海南道安岳郡大里(だいしゅうり)安岳2号墳（5世紀ころ）の入口の左右の壁に武人が1名ずつ描かれており、丸い帽子風の冑にとがった台をつけ先端に羽毛状の飾りをつけ、短い筒状の袖鎧、甲は腰まで覆い、ズボン風の鎧を着ける。表面は鱗状の小札で、中国漢代の鉄鎧を想定させる。ほかにも何か所か武人壁画が発見されているが、いずれも平壌を中心とした地域に限られ、その型式は札鎧で日本の挂甲に相通じる点がみられるが、詳細は不明である。慶尚北道高霊郡高霊面、池山洞古墳群第32号古墳から1978年に、鉄板を使用した短甲および鉄冑が出土しており、ほかにも数例の報告がある。これらはいずれも日本で多数の発掘例のある横矧(よこはぎ)板鋲留短甲、衝角(しょうかく)付冑、三角板革綴(かわとじ)短甲、眉庇(まびさし)付冑などに酷似している。新羅統一時代から高麗(こうらい)時代（10～14世紀）は古墳の石刻像で明らかなように、唐・宋の甲制を受け継いでおり、13世紀以降は元・明・清の甲制による綿襖甲(めんおうこう)と漏斗状の鉄（革）冑が盛行する。しかし中国同様、崇文卑武(すうぶんひぶ)の思想が強く、記録、遺物ともに少ない。

［大塚国正］

西洋

甲冑の起源（古代オリエント）については、正確には不明であるが、前三千年紀のシュメール人は、すでに相当進歩した甲冑をもっていたことが、発掘品や浮彫りなどから知られる。なかでもウルの王墓出土の「メス・カラム・ドゥグの冑(かぶと)」は、1枚の金板を鎚起(ついき)し、精巧な線刻を施した儀式用冑として名高い。また、頂のとがった冑をつけ大きな盾を持った兵士たちの隊列を描いた浮彫り板も発見されている。アッカド王朝の「ナラム・シン王の戦勝記念碑」には、牛角のついた円錐(えんすい)形の冑を着けた同王の姿がみられる。

　エジプトでは、王をはじめ身分の高い人物は冑を着けたと推測されるが、確実な遺例は少なく、冠と冑との区別も明らかでない。戦闘用の冑から由来したと思われる、いわゆる「青冠」がなかでも注目される。胴部の防具としては、古代世界を通じて、おそらく皮革が使われたであろうが、詳細は不明である。円形や長方形の盾は、メソポタミアでもエジプトでも広く用いられた。多くは木板に皮を貼(は)ったものであり、ツタンカーメン王墓の例にみられるように、儀式用の盾にはきわめて精巧な装飾をもつものが少なくない。

　エーゲ文明期のミケーネの兵士は、イノシシの牙(きば)を連ね羽根飾りをつけたヘルメットを着用した。また、何枚かの幅の広い青銅板を連ねて、頸部(けいぶ)から膝(ひざ)までを覆う形式の鎧(よろい)も考案された。デンデラ出土の鎧はその好例である。ギリシアでは、金属製・革製のヘルメットが一般化したが、とくに鼻梁(びりょう)や頬(ほお)の保護に留意されている。いくつかの定形が生まれたが、コリント式がもっとも代表的である。鉢の頂部に背びれ状の飾り板や馬毛、鳥の羽根などをつけたり、顔隠しや眉庇(まびさし)のような部品を可動式にするなど、多くのくふうがみられる。鎧は胴部を主として覆う胸甲（トラクス）の形をとり、下端からスカート状にフェルトなどを下げ、足を保護するとともに、機敏な行動を可能にした。革製の胸甲の場合、小型の金属板を鱗状に縫い付けることも行われた。ローマの甲冑は基本的にはギリシアの型式を踏襲したが、儀式のパレードのために装飾を凝らした華麗な甲冑が流行し、以後、西洋の甲冑は戦闘用と儀式用に明瞭(めいりょう)に二分される。

　中世は、甲冑の素材として鉄の薄板が活用され、湾曲した札(さね)をつなぎ合わせて、行動しやすく、しかもじょうぶな鎧が、多種多様な型式をとって登場した。騎馬の戦闘のために馬用の鎧も考案された。ヘルメットも鉄が多く使われるようになり、顔面と頭部、頸部の保護にさまざまの考案がなされた。目の部分のみに隙間(すきま)をあけ、頭全体を覆うもの、敵の矢や槍(やり)をそらすために、口の部分を鳥の嘴(くちばし)のように突出させたものなど、その例である。また、鉄板とは別に、鎖帷子(くさりかたびら)も多く用いられた。これらの甲冑は専門の職人集団によって製作されたが、芸術的にきわめて優れたものがある。とくに王侯貴族あるいは騎士たちは競ってよい甲冑を求め、それを誇りとしたために、中世後期には金属工芸の重要な一分野となった。

　甲冑の製作には多くの種類の加工技術が必要とされるために、分業が発達し、特定の都市に製造が集中することもおこった。イスラム世界のダマスカス、ドイツのアウクスブルクは、とくに優れた甲冑で知られる。また、その性質上、異民族の型式も積極的に取り入れられた。たとえば、ローマ時代に皮革の札に金属板を縫い付けた「ロリカ」が多用されたが、中世にはこのロリカの型式に、北方の蛮族が好んで用いた鎖帷子状の胴衣を結合させ、いわゆる「アドゥブマン」が生まれた。冑にも鎖帷子の方式を採用し、その上に、頂部が半球形あるいは円錐形の金属製冑をかぶることも行われた。

　機械式の弩(いしゆみ)や、さらに鉄砲の発明によって、甲冑はますます重装備を余儀なくされたが、とくに顔面を含めて頭部の保護に力が注がれた。古代からあった眉庇は、よりじょうぶに、精巧で機能的なものとなった。多くは、こめかみの部分に支点を置き、不要なときは上にあげて顔面を外気にさらすことができるようになっている。14、15世紀に盛行した「バッシネ」とよばれる冑は、この種の典型的な例である。頭部以外の部分も、可能な限り覆う傾向を生じた。頸すじから肩・胸にかけてはもちろん、腕から手のひらまで、あるいは腰から足のつまさきまで鉄片を連結して覆う全身装甲の場合、その部品は大小100を超える場合も珍しくない。この種の複雑な重装備は、16世紀後半から17世紀にかけて絶頂に達した。

　近世における銃砲の発達は、従来の甲冑をほとんど無力なものにした。とくに砲弾の破壊力は、個人的な防具の意味を失わせ、兵士たちは、17、18世紀の一時期、甲冑をまったく捨てた。しかし近代になると、いわゆる鉄冑が、頭部の保護に有効であることが再認識され、戦場で広く使われるようになった。二度の世界大戦では、ほとんどの兵士が鉄冑をつけて戦っている。

［友部　直］

『〔明治以前のもの〕』▽『新井白石著『本朝軍器考』、伊勢貞丈著『軍用記』（『古実叢書　21』所収・1954・明治図書出版）』▽『村井昌弘著「単騎要略被甲弁」（『続随筆文学選集　1』所収・1928・随筆文学選集刊行会）』▽『松平定信編『集古十種』（1908・国書刊行会）』▽『〔明治以後のもの〕』▽『山上八郎著『日本甲冑の新研究』（1942・飯倉書店）』▽『末永雅雄著『日本上代の甲冑』（1944・創元社）』▽『鈴木敬三著『初期絵巻物風俗史的研究』（1960・吉川弘文館）』▽『中村春泥遺稿、鈴木敬三編・解説『甲冑写生図集』（1979・吉川弘文館）』▽『〔入門書〕』▽『尾崎元春編「甲冑」（『日本の美術　24』所収・1968・至文堂）』▽『山上八郎・山岸素夫著『鎧と兜』（保育社・カラーブックス）』▽『楊泓著『中国古代兵器論集』（1980・北京文物出版局）』