A History of the Idea of Glued Linen Armour

[Dan Howard]

Layered linen armour has been used for around three thousand years all over the world. We have texts and surviving examples covering a lot of that time period. Every example of layered texile armour was made by quilting, not gluing. Sean's work has handily debunked all the dodgy translations and misinformation regarding glued linen armour. When the so-called "evidence" is examined, it turns out to be no evidence at all.

The only example of glued layered armour anywhere in the world is up near the Arctic Circle where hides were sometimes glued together into 2 or 3 layers to make armour. There is a reason why it wasn't used elsewhere and Todd summed it up - it simply doesn't work. The Arctic climate has zero humidity and a low enough temperature that prevents insects, mold, and bacteria taking hold. There are examples of layered leather armours in warmer climates but they were sewn, not glued. The glues of the time had plenty of other applications in warmer climates, but not armour.

"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"

This claim has put historical research back decades. It is this kind of spurious logic that leads to highlander ninjas. Proper research is based on evidence, not baseless speculation. It is good to keep an open mind, but not so open that your brain falls out.