It's also significant that not one description of armor through the middle ages mentions anything like sewing rings to a backing. There are numerous detailed regulations for what everyone is supposed to have for military service, and for anyone not wealthy enough to afford mail, the only option mentioned is a quilted gambeson. Heck, later on there are mentions of sewing chains to sleeves and such things, but rings are still not mentioned. Even what seem to be a few fanciful descriptions of people cobbling armor and shields together in some emergency never mention sewing rings to a backing.

Mind you, I would not say that there is "not a shred of evidence" for ringmail, simply because of the depictions we keep seeing and arguing about. I can't make my mind up about them! BUT again, it is significant that we keep seeing that stuff on KNIGHTS, not on peasants who are desperate for some makeshift cheap protection.

We can't say for certain that medieval warriors NEVER wore swim fins or tutus, eh? Sorry, that's a little extreme! But we need a little more for ringmail.

Matthew

After carefully reading your answers, I'll make a list of the conclusions I've made so far:

Evidence
- Pictorial: rare appearances in manuscripts and frescos (not sure about the time frame)
- Archaeological: none for that time period and area
- Written: none

From the artist's point of view
Reasons to paint armor this way:
- Just an easier way of depicting mail. Although I find it more time consuming than the rows of commas. And the manuscript is very detailed in general.
- To provide contrast between different pieces of armor or different characters, like the colored horses in the bayeux tapestry. But it's not really necessary in this case.
- Actually a different kind of armor. But there is no strong evidence of this kind of armor.
- Artistic license. Maybe the knight pictured didn't even use armor. But then why bother?

From the knight's point of view
Reasons to wear this kind of armor if real:
As a replacement for mail:
- Cheaper/easier to make (arguably) and can be made by anyone, not only proffessional mailmakers. Does not seem like a good reason for a Knight. Weak spots and weight would make it not worth wearing.
As a reinforcement over mail:
- Better blunt force protection, like lamellar over mail used in the Bizantine Empire. But again it's too much weight for an area that is often neglected.


I still can't make my mind about this, but the discussion has been very informative. Thank you all.

Mart: That's a very interesting miniature. Do you know when and where it originates from?

British Library Additional MS 17687 B is currently assigned a date of c. 1240 and is believed to be of German origin, perhaps from Würzburg. The subject is the Massacre of the Holy Innocents by King Herod's soldiers.

Fantastic! Thank you.

I personally believe it's an artistic depiction of a different sized rings of maille. My own maille isn't all the same sized rings and if it's on separate pieces it's probably for the same reason. They also may be depicting maille of all riveted links differently than maille with the solid links. My personal theory is all riveted maille is "secondary" protection and with the solid links it's primary. It just makes more sense to have the solid links to be stronger and more of a primary protection.