Byzantine Weapons and Warfare

[Urselius]

The more I look at the 12th-13th century Joshua fresco from Hosios Loukas:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Byzan ... -Lucas.jpg

the more I'm convinced that the forearms are protected by mail, either mail manikelia or, less likely, the sleeves of a mail hauberk. The sleeves are of a grey colour which is quite different from the bright green of the tunic hem visible below the kremesmata skirt. The sleeves have a gold band which could be gilt mail links, and there is some sort of white drawstring at the wrist.

The clincher for me is the fact that Byzantine artists had a mania for depicting folds in cloth. Give a Byzantine artist a piece of textile clothing and he will fill it with folds and wrinkles. The forearms of Joshua are entirely wrinkle-free.
Contrast this with the extravagant folds shown to the hem of the tunic in the same image. Also see the 'ravelled' cloth rendering on the forearms of this 12th century steatite depiction of St George:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Arte_ ... eatite.jpg