On display in the exhibition of the State Museum-Reserve “Kulikovo Field” in the hall “Rus and Horde: 14th Century Warfare”, there is a detail of a decorated belt — a plate ferrule. On the plate, there is a dragon writhing in the clouds. At the bottom of the ferrule is a loop that serves to suspend a bladed weapon.
The armor of the medieval Horde warriors varied greatly, depending on the region they were from and where they were stationed. The equipment of a Horde warrior represented a combination of traditions from different regions.
One of the most popular armors in the 14th century was the “khatangu degel”, Mongolian plate armor. It was a durable item resembling a luxurious robe of vibrant colors on the outside, but with metal plates on the inside. It was impenetrable in most cases, and very few Horde warriors had this armor.
Chain mail was a popular type of armor worn by nomadic people from the Volga region. Warriors also wore lamellar armor, which consisted of leather plates sewn with metal plates on the top.
The arms were protected by shoulder pads attached to the coat-of-plates, and iron gloves. Boots were covered in metal plates. A round helmet with a nasal guard protected the head, while a chain mail covered the back of the head and cheeks.
Nomads carried bows, and not just one, but two or three, as archery was their primary combat skill. In addition, every warrior should have had a melee weapon (such as a spear, or bladed weapon like a saber, dagger, or sword). Rich warriors’ swords were often decorated with engravings and silver.
According to the materials from the Golden Horde archaeology, during the time of the Battle of Kulikovo, a warrior could wear three belts at a time. One belt was the main one and was particularly decorated. The other two were less sophisticated. One of these was a sword belt for carrying bladed weapons such as a sword or saber. The third was a quiver belt, from which a bow and a quiver with arrows would hang. It is possible that a similar practice existed in Rus as well.
The plate on display in the museum is one of a sword belt used for carrying bladed weapons.
