[Dan Howard]

The style of the lamellar found at Birka is Khazar.
The Birka garrison had plenty of foreign fighters, including Khazars.
IIRC the armour was found in what is believed to be a workshop so it is impossible to tell who wore it.

The only other lamellar finds in Western Europe were in Avar-controlled regions. Lamellar finds in Western Europe disappear after the Avars were driven out. If Western Europeans wore lamellar, one would expect lamellar to continue turning up in the archaeological record after the Avars leave.

[Matthew Amt]

Yikes, I sound like kind of a jerk! Re-reading Kyle's first post, I'm thinking it sounded pretty reasonable, then my response jumps all over him! Sorry, sorry...

Matthew

PS: I hardly *ever* set fire to Viking reenactors for wearing lamellar, any more...

[Mark Millman]

Dear Dan,

[Len Parker]

More tantalizing evidence of norse lamellar/scale: https://sagy.vikingove.cz/en/lamellar-armours-of-the-viking-age/

[Iagoba Ferreira]

Answering the first post...

There is physical evidence of scale armour in XVIth century America, discussed here:

gladius.revistas.csic.es/index.php/gladius/article/view/21/0" target="_blank">https://gladius.revistas.csic.es/index.php/gladius/article/view/21/0

Even the MET has some scales:

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/25372


Given the topic, and to contradict some books (Osprey...) this peculiar example scale armour in the Museo de Armería de Alava is undated, unprovenanced but after examining it briefly, it's designed to be functional.

[Graham Shearlaw]

Addressing the title question, i will argue for durability, maintenance and hygiene as factors leading to scale and lamellar's decline in use.

Durability
Mail is from made nothing but hard wearing metal, unlike cloth, leather or raw hide , it will not perish, snap, rot, or get eaten by rats, and kept in dry storage its last for ever.

Maintenance, there is minimal replacement of damaged rings after use, other wise its just store dry.
For scale and lamellars there's a semi regular replacement of backing and binding as they wear out from use.

Hygiene, mail doesn't have space to trap dirt or house lice nor an organic component to soak up water and sweat.
A Scale or lamellar armour does and need a considerable disassembly to clean.

You can use most of the above against the viking's must of had gambesons school, normal clothing is free, easier to clean and gives better temperature regulation.

[Dan Howard]

"When soaked with water the armor becomes very heavy and cannot be quickly dried; so that in summer it is oppressive and in winter liable to freeze. Moreover, no amount of washing will completely free the lacing from any mud or blood which may have penetrated it, and on long and distant campaigns it becomes evil-smelling and overrun by ants and lice, with consequent ill effects on the health of the wearer." -- Sakakibara Kozan, Chukokatchu Seisakuben