A very material mail

Turn the science spotlight on our collections and explore the challenge of personal protection and its progression.

Looking at historic armour from our collections, we explore body protection, and how both traditional and modern materials are used.

What materials would you choose to protect yourself with? We take an in-depth look at materials and their properties.

Tel: 020 3166 6660
Email: educate.tower@armouries.org.uk

Scary Horned Helmet

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Did you know?

Old idea, new materials

The tips of the lances used by the Royal Armouries jousters are made from balsa wood and are designed to be broken, this was something that was done in some tournaments in the 15th century, though not using balsa wood.

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