Gorget, c. 1560. Germany, 16th century. Steel; overall: x x cm (12 7/16 x 9 15/16 x 6 3/4 in.). A gorget is an element of armor that protects the neck, throat, and upper part of the chest. It normally consists of two parts, front and back, joined by a hinge on the left shoulder and fastened with a stud on the right. Gradually the gorget grew smaller and more symbolic becoming a symbol of rank. By the 1700s it became a single crescent shape worn on a chain that suspended the gorget even lower on the chest, so that it no longer protected the throat in normal wear.

---

Size: 3400px × 2661px
Photo credit: © CMA/BOT / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: