The invention of mail armour ranks among the more fascinating achievements of Iron Age technology. Combining the rigid strength of metal with the seemingly incompatible suppleness of woven fabric, the concept of a protective garment composed of interlocking rings has truly stood the test of time. Since its adoption by Celtic warriors and Roman legions, mail became the primary form of metal armour worn in Europe for almost two millennia. In various, sometimes quite distinct forms its use would spread throughout Africa and Asia, as far as the Indian subcontinent and Japan. Though eventually grown obsolete by the advances of early modern warfare, the unique properties of mail have ensured its survival in niche applications to the present day.
In contrast with other perhaps aesthetically more attractive types of armour, the study of mail defences was long neglected by scholars. Even the knowledge of their origins and manufacture became lost to obscurity. During the 1950s, many of these omissions were addressed by the work of E. M. Burgess and his contemporaries, whose pioneering efforts have been continuously revised and improved upon by later generations following upon their footsteps. Even so, the study of mail armour remains a rather underreported field.
Due to a major surge of renewed interest and activity in recent years, the time seems right to bring together fellow mail armour scholars and enthusiasts interested in sharing the results of their work. In the spirit of friendly discussion and an exciting exchange of information you are warmly invited to the mail armour symposium hosted by the National Museum of Slovenia in Ljubljana between 15–17 October 2025.