44PG300/1D
Breastplate —this
nearly complete breastplate exhibits all the elements of pikeman suit
armor from 17th-century Virginia Tidewater sites. The rolled edges
of the armholes and neck, the small skirt along the bottom with brass
rivets, and the slight V coming down in the bottom center are typical of
body armor sections in the DHR collections. This example was
recovered in 1989 from Jordan’s Journey, a 17th-century settlement site
in Prince George County near Hopewell, Virginia. It came
from a pit that contained other armor pieces, including a
burgonet–type helmet.
Previously exhibited at several venues around the Commonwealth, this
breastplate is now on
view in the conservation laboratory window display exhibit at the
Virginia Department of Historic Resources’ front lobby.
Updated May 30, 2017
