Aventail

Aventail

An aventail or camail is a flexible curtain of chainmail on a helmet, that extends to cover the neck and shoulders. The mail could be removed for cleaning or storage, and attached to the helm through use of a leather cord that was threaded through brass rings at the edge of the helm. Aventails were most commonly seen on bascinets in the 14th century and served as a replacement for a chainmail coif. Some aventails were decorated with edging in brass or bronze links, or dagged edges. By the late 15th century, the Aventail had replaced the chainmail coif completely. Only those who were poor or who were collectors of the sort had a chainmail coif.

Aventails were typically attached to the helmet via small staples known as vervelles.


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  • Aventail — Av en*tail, n. [OF. esventail. Cf. {Ventail}.] The movable front to a helmet; the ventail. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • aventail — noun Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo French aventaille, alteration of ventaille Date: 14th century ventail …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • aventail — /av euhn tayl /, n. Armor. 1. Also called camail. a mail tippet suspended from the lower edges of a 14th century basinet as a protection for the neck, throat, and shoulders. 2. ventail. [1300 50; ME < AF aventaille, equiv. to a ( < ?) + ventaille …   Universalium

  • aventail — noun a) the flap or adjustable part of the hood of mail, which when unfastened allowed the hood to drop upon the shoulders. b) The movable front to a helmet; the ventail …   Wiktionary

  • Aventail — The mouthpiece of the helmet of a suit of armour which was movable to allow easier breathing; later this movable unit incorporated the *visor. [< AnNor. aventaille < Lat. ventus = wind, air] …   Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases

  • Aventail — 1) A mail garment protecting the neck. (Prestwich, Michael. Armies and Warfare in the Middle Ages: The English Experience, 347) 2) A curtain of mail to protect the neck, suspended from the helmet and reaching to the shoulders. (Wise, Terence.… …   Medieval glossary

  • aventail — av·en·tail …   English syllables

  • aventail — av•en•tail [[t]ˈæv ənˌteɪl[/t]] n. her ventail • Etymology: 1300–50; ME < AF aventaille …   From formal English to slang

  • aventail — noun a medieval hood of mail suspended from a basinet to protect the head and neck • Syn: ↑camail, ↑ventail • Hypernyms: ↑hood • Part Holonyms: ↑basinet …   Useful english dictionary

  • Bascinet — The bascinet was a Medieval European open faced military helmet, typically fitted with an aventail and hinged visor. It evolved from the cervelliere.The term is also written as bassinet or basinet . The earliest versions of the bascinet, at the… …   Wikipedia

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