The Problem of Plate Armor 279 



mediaeval Roland. They are protected by iron sheet armor, l over 

 which a jerkin is thrown, two circular spaces being cut out on the 

 thorax, and exposing the iron plastrons or breastplates. The helmet 

 envelops the occiput, nape, and cheeks, and is held by a broad leather 

 mentonniere. The baggy trousers are fastened with garters over the 

 upper parts of the thighs. Many of these figurines, as indicated by the 

 remains of pigments, must originally have been well painted, the pig- 

 ments being spread on a background formed by a thick coating of white 

 pipe-clay. 2 In the two figures in question, judging from the traces of 

 pigments, the helmet was colored a crimson-red, the face pink, the eye- 

 balls black, and likewise the big mustache with turned-up tips; the 

 breastplates were vermilion, and the garment surrounding them light 

 green. The sleeves on the upper arms are still decorated with parallel 

 black stripes; those on the lower arms are painted a crimson color, the 

 hands pink. Geometric ornaments that are but partially preserved were 

 painted in red on the portion of the coat beneath the girdle. 



Plate armor is met also on contemporaneous Chinese sculpture 

 in stone. There is in the Museum's collection a marble slab dug up 

 in the environment of the city of Hien-yang, Shen-si Province 

 (Plate XXXIII). It represents a mock-gate which denoted the en- 

 trance to a tomb. The two door-leaves countersunk in the slab are 

 divided by a faint line in the centre, and kept closed by means of a bolt 

 carved in relief. On each leaf is delicately traced the figure of a guardian 

 completely armored with plate mail, and holding a sword. On the 

 lintel two phenixes surrounded by rich foliage are chiselled out in flat 

 relief. 



Plate armor was officially adopted by the Sung dynasty. In 1134, 

 the Imperial Armory had four model pieces constructed, which were 

 founded on the principle of the plate. The first of these, an armor suit, 

 consisted of 1825 plates (styled ye, "leaves," written without the classi- 

 fier 'metal') polished and burnished on both sides; the epaulieres 

 (pauldrons) were protected on the inner side by 504 plates; each of these 

 plates weighed one fifth of an ounce plus six fen. The second, also a 

 coat, was formed of 332 plates, each plate of the weight of two-fifths of 

 an ounce plus seven fen. The third piece, a lower garment, was com- 

 posed of 679 plates of the shape of a tail-feather of a hawk, each plate 

 weighing two-fifths of an ounce plus five fen. The fourth piece was a 

 helmet consisting of 310 plates, each weighing one-fifth of an ounce 

 plus five fen; the total weight of the helmet, inclusive of its appurte- 



1 See Chapter VI. 



2 The same process is applied to T'ang pottery vessels, as will be seen in Part II. 



