The need for protection has remained in the time since the start of mankind. As the people started living in colonies, and countries started forming the rise of destructive wars took place. History is packed with such wars and the troops had discovered new ways to shield their bodies against the weapons. As the usage of arms was becoming normal in wars, there was a need for protective gear and thus body armors for soldiers came into existence. Throughout the development of this protective gear, many different materials were used. Today we are going to take you back in the rich history of body armor, their uses, and the materials they were made of.

1500 BC

Historical evidence of the usage of helmets and leather armors have been found in this era. The helmets during this era were used by Sumerian soldiers. The materials used to make helmets were copper and the body armor was made of leather. During that time the troops used to boil leather to make it thick and rough and utilize it as body armor. Layers of cloth and cotton were used to get strong padding against blunt attacks. However, leather couldn't avoid the attack struck by sharper weapons.

1550-1500 BC

The use of leather armor was not sufficient to avoid harsh attacks so the need for bronze plates have arisen. Iron was stronger than bronze but it was not possible to work with the large iron pieces and cut them precisely. Around the 14th century, European metalworkers discovered the method to work with iron and the more solid metal, steel. These materials were able to grant more surpassing strength against darts and crossbow arrows that stung chain mail, plate armor became widespread within the wealthy.

500-400 BC

The first chainmail body armor produced by the Celts. Chainmail was available alongside scale armor and lamellar. This type of armor included thousands of interlocking rings which made it stronger yet easier to carry. Chainmail provided superior strength against penetrating weapons and when consumed with padding beneath could increase the intensity of an extreme typhoon. However, it was less powerful against thrusting weapons. Chainmail dispersed crosswise Europe, Africa, and Asia. It was seldom consolidated with tiny plates of protection and was often consumed with a helmet. In the vicious combat of medieval Europe, it was the most immeasurable usable armor for numerous centenaries.

1966

Kevlar was created by Stephanie Kwolek and licensed in 1966. This material was lightweight and helped the troops in avoiding the penetration of bullets and harsh attacks. Kevlar has been used widely to make bulletproof body armor for several years.

1967

Bulletproof body shield included hard ceramic plates were introduced to avoid the penetration of ammunition.

1975

By that time, people realized the need for the lightweight yet effective breastplate, and kevlar was considered as the sturdiest material. The greatest mass composition of Kevlar bulletproof body armor vests took place during 1975.

1999

Spider silk bulletproof body armor vests analysis and evolution. This material is incredibly lightweight and very strong in fact, it is considered to be as strong as kevlar. However, the vast production of spider silk is not easy as spiders are anthropophagous, they cannot be grown in concentrated territories to produce silk. However, we might be able to acquire spider silk in the future for maximum protection.

Bottom Line:

The history is enriched with awesome warzone stories which help us in learning about the growth and development of weapons and armor. This article covers the phases of protective covering and how it transformed from time to time. We have discussed the different materials used in producing body armor from ancient times until now. So, grab your next full body armor and revive the ancient times.