Tickets
English
DonateMembership
Tickets

Conserving a Piece of Islamic Armor

Join Met conservator Sean Belair as he discusses his role at the Museum and shares details from the conservation of an Islamic mail shirt made up of 12,000 inscribed rings.
13 min. watch

Join Met conservator Sean Belair as he discusses his role at the Museum and shares details from the conservation of an Islamic mail shirt made up of 12,000 inscribed rings.

Please note: At 2:15, Sean Belair misspoke in saying mail armor was invented in central Asia; it was invented in central Europe.

More from The Met

A glamorous-looking woman caught mid-laugh. She holds a camera.
Video
Bazaar and Beyond: A Portrait of Lillian Bassman, 2026
This film offers a rare look into the life and work of the artist Lillian Bassman, who helped introduce an avant-garde sensibility to the American newsstand.
July 23
Colorful cover
The Sounds of Style
Exploring fashion through the lens of music in The Costume Institute Library.
Julie Lê
July 22
Image of conservator Rachel Mustalish talking about the luxury copy of La Fin du monde
Video
The Conservator’s Eye: A Close Look at La Fin du monde
A close examination of The Met’s luxury copy of the printed book and original artist’s maquette for La Fin du monde.
June 8
More in:Behind the ScenesTechnologyFashionMaterialsSports

Art Mentioned

A slider containing 1 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Mail Shirt, Iron alloy, copper alloy (latten), copper, brass, Persian
Mail Shirt
Persian
ca. 1500–1600