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Miniature Lamellar Armor and Helmet
Tibetan, possibly 15th–16th century
Iron, leather, textile
H. approx. 30 in. (76.2 cm)
Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds
cat. no. 2

This finely made lamellar armor with matching helmet is remarkable for its high quality and completeness and because it is the only miniature version of such an armor known. Since the proportions are not correct for a child, it seems likely that the armor was made either as a votive object or as costume for a sculpture in a shrine or temple. The miniature spearhead and matchlock gun (cat. nos. 79, 101) were probably made for similar purposes.

Detail: back

all text & images © Metropolitan Museum of Art


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