History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c37.s1.t2.10

v1.c37.s1.t2.10

The scales of ant-eater are a special growth of animal skin and provide a natural armour and were used in India, Persia and other countries made a form of Camellias armour with the backing of leather or cloth. Other scales used for the armour in India are fish scales, thick leather piece of 1-2" sq pieces overlapping one above the other and metal scales. This kind of leather pieces are kept in the National Museum, New Delhi. The fish scale armour is in the Patna Museum. Warriors and horses wearing such armour are depicted in Persian sculptures. Body armour covered with scales of untanned hide and with hair remaining is kept in German Leather Museum, Offenbach (Fig. 2).