Leather Armor? (NO HOLDS BARRED!!)

[Dan Howard]

Williams' tests against hardened leather show that his sample, at least, was far inferior to layered linen - especially against weapon points. To get decent protection from leather it needs to be much heavier than a metal or even a linen equivalent. So weight and flexibility are definitely NOT benefits of using leather. I am guessing that the thickness required would make leather difficult to shape into the musculata typology. If you reduce the thickness to mould it then it is no longer viable as armour - unless it is layered over something else. In regions where textiles are widely available we see very little evidence to support the use of leather armour. They either use quilted layered linen, or metal. Many cultures covered metal armour with fine leather, both as decoration and to protect the metal. Could this be a possibility? The Romans certainly seem to have had no problems with painting shiny bronze.