Korean armour

Last updated

Korean armour is armour that was traditionally used in ancient times by Koreans, those fighting in and on behalf of Korea, or Koreans fighting overseas. Examples of armour from the Korean Peninsula date back to at least the Korean Three Kingdoms period. Depending on the tactical situation, Korean armour also included horse armour and other kinds of early anti-ballistic armour before the 20th century.

Contents

Introduction

A cheonwang (Heavenly King) in lamellar armour, Silla, 8th c. Lokapala.jpg
A cheonwang (Heavenly King) in lamellar armour, Silla, 8th c.

Korean armour was mainly dedicated to protect against missiles since mountainous terrain made field battles either rare or very hazardous. For historical Koreanic countries, the defense or assault of fortifications was typical warfare.

The earliest armour variants appeared during the Bronze Age and were likely made of animal skins, bone or wood. The earliest findings of iron armour were from the Gaya confederacy and Goguryeo, while bone armour could be found in Baekje. [1]

Metallic armour was relatively widespread during the Three Kingdoms period due to constant warfare, but its usage declined once Korea was unified and Japanese pirates or steppe nomads became the main concerns. Following the collapse of Unified Silla in the tenth century and its takeover by Goryeo, the warfare style more common type to the Central and Northern parts of Korea along with the use of lighter armours took over. This resulted in the general abandonment of the heavy armour typically used by the southern states.

The first known use of iron plate mail in Korea was used by the Gaya confederacy between 42 and 562 AD. A large number of iron and steel artifacts, including iron armour, iron horse armour such as helmets and bits, and smaller iron ingots (often used as money), have been found in the Daeseong-dong Ancient Tombs, a World Heritage Site, in Gimhae. Gimhae (Korean : 金海 김해) means "Sea of Iron" as if the city's name symbolizes the abundance of iron in the area. Surviving examples are currently on display at the Gimhae National Museum in South Korea. [2]

Korean warfare was often based on harsh terrain and the firepower imposed on the enemy from high ground usually in the form of composite bows and later gunpowder weapons, while cavalry superiority was favored against the constant Jurchen raids during Joseon. Fighting against the much more numerous forces of China and Japan, Koreans favored mobility and ranged tactics which limited the reliance upon vastly armoured units despite a strong inclusion of melee training.

During later periods, Korean armour also included forms of brigandine, chain mail, and scale armour. Due to the cost of iron and steel equipment that were often too high for peasant conscripts, helmets were not always full steel and stiffened leather caps were not uncommon.

Korean armour pieces, from top to bottom, typically consisted of a helmet or a cap, a heavy main armour coat with pauldrons or shoulder and underarm protection, leg coverings (supplemented by the skirting from the main coat), groin protection, and limb protection. In terms of armament, Korean militaries employed heavy infantry equipped with swords or spears along with shields, pikemen, archers, crossbowmen, and versatile heavy cavalry capable of horse archery. Korean naval warfare saw large deployments of heavy wooden shields as a means of protecting personnel on the top decks of Korean ships.

After the rise of the Joseon, Korean combat armour saw a change from mainly using chain mail, plated mail, and lamellar armor to mostly brigandine. By the time of the mid-Joseon, provincial troops were equipped with padded armour while the central units could afford metal-made armour.

Three Kingdoms period

Korean armour during the Korean Three Kingdoms period consisted of two major styles: the 'Chalgap' lamellar armour similar to the ones used by the equestrian steppe nomads and Sinitic empires to the west and plate armour, found in the Gaya Confederation and Silla. The lamellar often consisted of bronze, iron, bone, or stiffened leather; plates were always of iron, steel, or bronze. [1] The best-preserved armours from the three kingdoms period originate almost exclusively from the Gaya confederacy. The armour from Gaya is the best example of plate armour from ancient times, rivaling those of the Mediterranean basin from the same period. These Gaya-style plate armours are categorized into three types- one is made by joining vertical steel bands to form a single plate, another by joining horizontal bars, and the other by putting small triangular steel pieces together. The first type is found in Gaya and Silla, while most examples for the other two are located in Gaya, and some have been found in northern Baekje. Similar styles have also been found in Kyushu and Honshu, Japan.

Goguryeo armour was primarily of lamellar armour, made of small steel plates woven together with a cord. Ancient tombs of the Jjoksaem District of Hwango-dong, Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, uncovered the first example in 2009. Goguryeo murals found in North Korea also shed light on what Goguryeo's armour looked like.

Goryeo dynasty armour

The durumagi was a unique type of brigandine that resembled a robe or overcoat with an open front scale armor glued, woven, or nailed, forming dots on the outside. According to the "Goryeodogyeong" (高麗圖經) written by the Song dynasty envoy Xu Jing (徐兢), the armor of Goryeo soldiers was described as "similar to a durumagi [逢掖] that is connected at the top and bottom." Thus, from the Goryeo period to the late Joseon period, the durumagi-style [袍形] armor continued as a unique armor style of Goryeo. Though light infantry wore regular durumagi, they commonly had scales or overlapping plates made from leather, paper, or iron. The materials of the scales (찰) that make up the armor, such as Su-eun-gap (수은갑, mercury armor), Yu-yeop-gap (유엽갑, willow leaf armor), Pi-gap (피갑, leather armor), and Ji-gap (지갑, paper armor) are different. Still, they all share the common feature of having holes punched in the scales, laced with deer leather. Therefore, the original text depicts them with the single character '갑' (armor). They preferred the durumagi-style armor with an open front because this type of armor is the most comfortable for shooting arrows. In traditional archery (국궁), archers fully open their chest, a technique called "splitting the chest," to shoot arrows effectively, which would be hindered if the front were closed. Consequently, most armors throughout the Joseon period were in the form of a durumagi. The square piece on the right side of the armor protects the armpit and is called Ho-aek (護腋), while the long strap at the top protects the neck and is called Ho-hang (護項). Examining the materials of the scales, Su-eun-gap involves plating iron scales with mercury to make them shiny, Yu-yeop-gap has iron scales lacquered in black, Pi-gap is made by crafting scales from raw pig leather, and Ji-gap is made by layering paper and then lacquering it in black. [3]

It is suggested [ citation needed ] that during a period of rule under the Mongol Empire, Korea (then under the late Goryeo dynasty) began to see a number of changes to its military. Japanese paintings of Korean/Mongol warriors during the two Mongol invasions of Japan (1274 and 1281 AD) show the invasion forces made up largely of Mongols, Korean naval infantry, Tungusic allies and Chinese conscripts with shields and Mongol-style armour elements[ citation needed ]. The shields do not appear to have lasted as an influence, but examples of Joseon-era Korean armour often show adoptive influences from the Mongol period, such as the helmet with the wide brim.

General Chonji wore the gyeongbeongap (경번갑/鏡幡甲).[ citation needed ]

Joseon dynasty armor

Armor from the Joseon dynasty can be classified into roughly two time periods, the early dynasty (c.15~16th centuries) and the late dynasty (c. 17th~19th centuries). The exact transition point from the early to late dynasty armor remains unresolved. Still, it appears to be around the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598) and the Manchu invasion of Korea, the two and only total wars that Korea faced during the Joseon dynasty. Throughout both periods, however, padded armor (eomshimgap, Korean : 엄심갑; Hanja : 掩心甲) was popular among the common soldiers, as Joseon required peasant conscripts to provide their equipment and the armor offered body protection at a low price. Sets of leather armor are called Pigabju. Metallic armor was largely seen within units stationed in the capital, which formed the main striking power of the Joseon land forces. [4]

Most Korean armor of this period utilized scales or lamellae composed of metal (usually iron) scales attached to the exterior of the armor coat. [5] Starting as early as 1457, due to issues of cost and transport, an initiative was begun to replace the metal components of a majority of armor issued to personnel with hardened leather. [6] While warmer, lighter, and more flexible than iron scales/lamellae, armor utilizing hardened leather scales provided less effective protection in combat. [5]

In the early dynasty, the Joseon Army and Navy wore chain mail and plate armor from the late Goryeo dynasty. In contrast, lamellar armor, the traditional form of Korean armor, also persisted with some influences from the Mongols received during the 13~14th centuries. A complete metallic armor set was composed of a helmet bearing much resemblance with regards to European kettle hats with attached neck defenses of mail or lamellar, a body armor reaching down to the thighs or knees, and a set of shoulder guards which protected the upper arm as well.

By the time of the Japanese invasions of Korea from 1592 to 1598, some Korean military armor components had been switched over from iron to hardened leather, but extant examples and contemporary documentation indicate that those Korean personnel wearing armor still utilized iron scales and such armor proved to be effective against most Japanese weaponry (not so much against firearms) in combat.

Over time, Korean scaled armor changed in style. Initially the scales were on the exterior of the armor and thus attached to a base leather and fabric backing, but by the later Joseon era the scales (by this time mostly hardened leather) were riveted inside the armor coat, [7] forming a type of brigandine armor. Called dujeong-gap, this became the primary form of Korean armor and often reached below the knees when worn, and the helmet assumed a conical shape. Officers, senior/elite soldiers, and cavalry still had metal plates/scales in their armor (for mounted forces this was called gabsa while for non-mounted forces this was called pengbaesu), while peasant/low-ranking soldiers wore armor with hardened leather plates/scales.

In the mid-19th century there was an attempt to develop anti-ballistic armor called Myeonje baegab. [8] [9] It was made by sewing sheets of textiles and cotton and combining them into a thick vest to respond to the overwhelming firepower of rifles fielded by Western powers such as France and the United States. Although this attempt was partially in line with the current method of producing anti-ballistic vests, it does not appear to have proved effective.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armour</span> Covering used to protect from physical injury or damage

Armour or armor is a covering used to protect an object, individual, or vehicle from physical injury or damage, especially direct contact weapons or projectiles during combat, or from a potentially dangerous environment or activity. Personal armour is used to protect soldiers and war animals. Vehicle armour is used on warships, armoured fighting vehicles, and some combat aircraft, mostly ground attack aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chain mail</span> Personal armour of metal links

Chain mail is a type of armour consisting of small metal rings linked together in a pattern to form a mesh. It was in common military use between the 3rd century BC and the 16th century AD in Europe, while it continued to be used in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East as late as the 17th century. A coat of this armour is often called a hauberk or sometimes a byrnie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lamellar armour</span> Armour made of overlapping scales, without a solid backing

Lamellar armour is a type of body armour, made from small rectangular plates of iron or steel, leather (rawhide), bone, or bronze laced into horizontal rows. Lamellar armour was used over a wide range of time periods in Central Asia, Eastern Asia, Western Asia, and Eastern Europe. The earliest evidence for lamellar armour comes from sculpted artwork of the Neo-Assyrian Empire in the Near East.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Body armor</span> Protective clothing; armor worn on the body

Body armor, personal armor, armored suit (armoured) or coat of armor, among others, is armor for a person's body: protective clothing or close-fitting hands-free shields designed to absorb or deflect physical attacks. Historically used to protect military personnel, today it is also used by various types of police, private security guards, or bodyguards, and occasionally ordinary citizens. Today there are two main types: regular non-plated body armor for moderate to substantial protection, and hard-plate reinforced body armor for maximum protection, such as used by combatants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brigandine</span> Armoured sleeveless jackets used by infantry in the Middle Ages

A brigandine is a form of body armour from the late Middle Ages and up to the early Modern Era. It is a garment typically made of heavy cloth, canvas, or leather, lined internally with small oblong steel plates riveted to the fabric, sometimes with a second layer of fabric on the inside.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scale armour</span> Type of protective gear made from small, overlapping plates of metal or similar durable material

Scale armour is an early form of armour consisting of many individual small armour scales (plates) of various shapes attached to each other and to a backing of cloth or leather in overlapping rows. Scale armour was worn by warriors of many different cultures as well as their horses. The material used to make the scales varied and included bronze, iron, steel, rawhide, leather, cuir bouilli, seeds, horn, or pangolin scales. The variations are primarily the result of material availability.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chinese armour</span> Type of armor

Chinese armour was predominantly lamellar from the Warring States period onward, prior to which animal parts such as rhinoceros hide, rawhide, and turtle shells were used for protection. Lamellar armour was supplemented by scale armour since the Warring States period or earlier. Partial plate armour was popular from the Eastern and Southern dynasties (420–589), and mail and mountain pattern armour from the Tang dynasty (618–907). Chain mail had been known since the Han dynasty, but did not see widespread production or battlefield use, and may have seen as "exotic foreign armor" used as a display of wealth for wealthier officers and soldiers. During the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), brigandine began to supplant lamellar armour and was used to a great degree into the Qing dynasty (1644–1912). By the 19th century most Qing armour, which was of the brigandine type, were purely ceremonial, having kept the outer studs for aesthetic purposes, and omitted the protective metal plates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mongolian armour</span> Protective wear used by Mongol warriors

Mongolian armour has a long history. Mongol armour drew its influence from Chinese, Middle Eastern, and Central Asian styles. Most Mongolian armour was scale and lamellar made of hardened leather and iron, laced together onto a fabric backing, sometimes silk. Mail armour was also sometimes used, but was rare, probably due to its weight and difficulty to repair. Mongol archers demanded the armour be light enough so that when riding, it didn't interfere with their mobility.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseon Navy</span> Military unit

The Joseon Navy was the navy of the Korean dynasty of Joseon. While originally commissioned to protect merchant vessels and coastal towns from Japanese pirate raids, the Joseon navy is best known for defeating the Japanese naval forces during the Imjin War and is often credited with halting the Japanese invasion campaign and saving the dynasty from conquest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heavy infantry</span> Heavily armed and armoured soldiers

Heavy infantry consisted of heavily armed and armoured infantrymen who were trained to mount frontal assaults and/or anchor the defensive center of a battle line. This differentiated them from light infantry who were relatively mobile and lightly armoured skirmisher troops intended for screening, scouting, and other tactical roles unsuited to soldiers carrying heavier loads. Heavy infantry typically made use of dense battlefield formations, such as shield wall or phalanx, multiplying their effective weight of arms with force concentration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of plates</span> Type of historical armour worn on the torso

A coat of plates is a form of segmented torso armour consisting of overlapping metal plates riveted inside a cloth or leather garment. The coat of plates is considered part of the era of transitional armour and was normally worn as part of a full knightly harness. The coat saw its introduction in Europe among the warring elite in the 1180s or 1220s and was well established by the 1250s. It was in very common usage by the 1290s. By the 1350s it was universal among infantry militias as well. After about 1340, the plates covering the chest were combined to form an early breastplate, replacing the coat of plates. After 1370, the breastplate covered the entire torso. Different forms of the coat of plates, known as the brigandine and jack of plates, remained in use until the late 16th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mail and plate armour</span> Type of armour

Mail and plate armour is a type of mail with embedded plates. Armour of this type has been used in the Middle East, North Africa, Ottoman Empire, Japan, China, Korea, Vietnam, Central Asia, Greater Iran, India, Eastern Europe, and Nusantara.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gwanbok</span>

Gwanbok is a Sino-Korean term derived from the terms guanfu and guanfu. The term gwanbok is a collective term which refers to historical official attire, which was bestowed by the government court, including Chinese courts of various dynasties. The guanfu (冠服) system was a court attire system in China which also formed part of the Hanfu system. This system was them spread to neighbouring countries and was adopted in Korea since ancient times in different periods through the ritual practice of bestowal of clothing. Acknowledgement through bestowed robes and crowns (冠服) from the Emperor of China, who held hegemony over East Asia, would give support to Korean Kings and successors, as being the authentic rulers of their country as well as confirmed the political status of the Korean kingdom in the rest of the Sinosphere. The gwanbok system in Korea was different for each kingdom and changed throughout different periods. For example, initially given by the Chinese court in ritual practice, successive gwanbok were more often than not locally manufactured in Korea with different colours and adopted into hanbok. The gwanbok, which was used as the uniform of court officials, formed part of the gwanbok system and was used like the suit is nowadays.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Durumagi</span> Korean overcoat with no back or side vents

Durumagi is a variety of po, or overcoat, in hanbok, the traditional Korean attire. It is a form of outerwear which is usually worn as the topmost layer of clothing, over a jeogori (jacket) and baji (pants). It also goes by the names jumagui, juchaui, or juui,

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Japanese armour</span> Armor originating from Japan

Scholars agree that Japanese armour first appeared in the 4th century, with the discovery of the cuirass and basic helmets in graves. During the Heian period (794–1185), the unique Japanese samurai armour ō-yoroi and dō-maru appeared. The Japanese cuirass evolved into the more familiar style of body armour worn by the samurai known as the dou or dō, with the use of leather straps (nerigawa), and lacquer for weatherproofing. Leather and/or iron scales were also used to construct samurai armours, with leather and eventually silk lace used to connect the individual scales (kozane) of these cuirasses.

<i>Kikko</i> (Japanese armour)

Kikko are small iron or hardened leather, hexagon shaped armour plates used in the construction of Japanese armor worn by samurai and ashigaru of feudal Japan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laminar armour</span> Type of armour

Laminar armour is an armour made from horizontal overlapping rows or bands of, usually small, solid armour plates called lames, as opposed to lamellar armour, which is made from individual armour scales laced together to form a solid-looking strip of armour. Prominent examples of such armour are lorica segmentata of Ancient Rome and certain versions of samurai armour.

Vietnamese armour is military body armour made in the region of Vietnam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseon Army</span> 14th–19th century Korean army

The Joseon Army was the army of the Korean dynasty of Joseon (1392–1897). The army defended the northern borders but seldom defended the southern regions. The army was best known for fending off the Jurchen raids and conquering the Korean Peninsula. However, Joseon's neo-Confucianism disavowed military development, causing them to be vulnerable to Japanese and Manchu invasions. Despite this, Joseon kept strengthening the army until the 19th century, when western powers and the Japanese forced them to open doors and modernize the army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Military of Goryeo</span>

The Military of Goryeo was the primary military force of the Goryeo dynasty. During the Later Three Kingdoms period, Wang Kŏn overthrew the Taebong ruler, Kung Ye, and renamed it Goryeo after the Goguryeo dynasty. He led the kingdom's armies and navies against Silla and Later Baekje and unified the peninsula. Goryeo was able to mobilize sizable military might during times of war.

References

  1. 1 2 "갑옷". Encyclopedia of Korean Culture . Retrieved 2022-06-01.
  2. Pak, John. "'Sea of Iron', Gimhae embraces Gaya history". Korea.net . Retrieved 14 April 2015.
  3. 갑(甲) (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved 2022-11-11.
  4. "조선보병대, 그들만의 평화군대" [Chosun infantry, their own peace army.]. OhmyNews . 2004-08-28. Retrieved 2019-05-24.
  5. 1 2 Kim T, Hwang JY, Park GY, Lee MW. "Innovativeness in tradition: a comparative study of traditional leather armor scales and modern materials." Published 2023 August 5. https://fashionandtextiles.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40691-023-00341-z
  6. Office of Royal Annals. "Annals of King Sejo." 1457 January 3. https://sillok.history.go.kr/popup/viewer.do?id=kga_10301003_002&type=view&reSearchWords=&reSearchWords_ime=
  7. Park, J. "Yungwonpilbi." 1813. http://kostma.korea.ac.kr/data/des/RIKS+CRMA+KSM-WZ.1813.0000-20140422.TOYO_1584/IMG/TOYO_1584_002/0025.JPG
  8. "면제갑옷". Cultural Heritage Administration (in Korean). Cultural Heritage Administration . Retrieved 27 March 2017.
  9. "세계최초의 방탄조끼 조선군의 '면제배갑'". The Hankyoreh (in Korean). 21 February 2007. Retrieved 27 March 2017.