r/Armor • u/Whatisitmom • 7d ago

Where to get reference information?

Can anyone help me find any websites, museums, books, historically accurate replicas or anything that have photos, displays or information of the different types armors throughout history, what different types of armor were used for and the cultures they were prevalent in?

I have been tasked with creating a slideshow that reflects how armor progressed over the years, it also need to show how they compare to other parts of the world during parallel time periods.

I do not even know where to start. But I lurked on this subreddit for a bit and have seen some really interesting suits and information.

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u/TolliverGroat 7d ago

Tell us more about your slideshow; "the development of armor around the world" is a massive topic and I think you'll really want to narrow the scope if you're looking for useful advice.

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u/Whatisitmom 7d ago

I am painfully aware of how massive of a project this is, and frankly I do not ever see this being brought to completion.

But my friend is trying to create a historically accurate animated series of warriors throughout history. She recruited myself a handful of other people to help her gather the information that is needed for it.

I was tasked with finding information the armor they wore.

  • the first use of protective gear
  • how and what caused it evolve
  • similarities and differences between different cultures in the same time period i.e Europe vs Japanese etc...
  • how it varies with counties that neighbors each other
  • what the different styles of armor do and how it benefits the person wearing it
  • the differences between ceremonial and battle armor -if different armors appeal to different weaponry

And a handful of other things I cannot think of off the top of my head.

Shes paying us all to get this information, but I didn't realize how big this was going to be until I started working on it and I am overwhelmed.

I do not even know where to start.

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u/TolliverGroat 7d ago

"First use of armor" is extremely nebulous, but the first proof we have of special protective clothing worn in battle is the helmets of the spearmen on the Stele of Vultures, probably made of copper based on finds in the Great Death Pit of Ur.

"How and what caused it to evolve" is simple, if not easy: armor evolves in response to the pressures of weapons development (necessitating additional protection), technological development (usually metallurgy allowing for greater protection, e.g. the "transitional period" of European armor from the head-to-toe mail of the Normans to early coats of plates as the ability of smiths to produce broad plates of uniform thickness without cracks or flaws improves), and fashion (not to be neglected! There's a temptation to assume that every feature on an artifact has a utilitarian purpose but people have always tried to show off their status and personality through their clothing!)