The Appearance and Transformation of the Ancient Chinese Horse Helmet and Armour

In China, since the appearance of real wagons at relative maturity, horses and chariots have become an important means of war, and the importance of the horse helmet and armour to protect horses has gradually increased. Bronze face coverings appear in the south of the Western Zhou dynasty, and metal R-shaped ball decoration plates begin to be used centering on the capital area of GuanZhong. In the early Spring and Autumn period, both parties in the north combine to develop into a bronze face covering most of the horse's face with a number of bronze plates. Along with this, bronze plates of chariots, which protects and decorates chariots from the late years of the Western Zhou dynasty, also appears. All of them are used only by the upper class of the capital area of GuanZhong and other states. The lacquered leather horse helmet and armour began to be used in the south and north of the mid-autumn period, and into the Warring States period, it showed a standardized pattern in the composition and form of the union-type helmet, and the composition of the neck armour, and the composition of the body armour in south. It was Chu state that led to the improvement, development, and standardization of that. They are buried in the tombs and chariot pit of the highest class of each states. The chariot drawn by the horse with the lacquered leather horse helmet and armour was not used in actual fight, but it was used to inspect the movement of enemy and command within the camp. The stone armor was excavated from the pit of the First Emperor of Qin, which unified the country, and it was made by imitating the original armour. Compared to the previous period, the number of lamellers was greatly increased, and chest armour and bottom armour were added. Casting and grinding bronze technique would have influenced the change of the shape and composition of lamellers. The era of chariots has ended, and the era of cavalry arrives in the Han Dynasty, and it is the iron horse armour that was buried in the tombs of Caocao that shows the completion of the changes in shape and composition. In addition, metal helmet that has developed over a long time from the lacquered leather horse helmet is also used. Iron armour since the end of the Eastern Han dynasty later became the prototype of iron armour of Wuhu and Sixteen States, and it flows into the southern part of the Korean Peninsula during the Three Kingdoms period through QianYan and Goguryeo.