A History of Chain Maille Jewellery

Chain maille or chain mail or even simply mail was first used in the fifth century BC and is accredited to the Celts although it may have been around for far longer.

The word derives from the French word “mail” which in turn is derived from the Latin word “macula” which means literally the mesh of a net.

The Celts used this for armour by making links probably from iron sewn onto their garments which helped deflect any potential wounds from weapons. It was used until the Middle Ages when it was superseded by the development of body armour. There are examples in museums around the world but I cannot imagine how a man working in a round house with poor lighting making such an intricate piece.

Chain maille is now used to make stunning pieces of jewellery and is becoming more popular.  The technique is to make the beautiful jewellery by linking circles or jump rings to create patterns or weaves. It is important to open and close the jump rings correctly otherwise it will be impossible to keep the circular design.  Never pull them open but use a push/pull motion.  The most essential point to make is the aspect ratio. For those of you who are good at maths this should be a problem. For those of you like me it can be a nightmare. The aspect ratio is the diameter of the wire and the internal diameter of the jump ring. Here I have used 0.9/3.5. 0.9 is the width of the wire and 3.5 is the internal diameter to make this European 4 – 1 bracelet. This weave is presumed to be the one used by the Celts.

Picture of European 4 in 1

The European 4 in 1 weave is so versatile. Try making it in Sterling Silver with either copper or gold fill in the centre or even use one metal to make a very pretty bracelet.

Another popular weave is the Byzantine chain maille. This weave has several names, for example, Bird’ Eye or Bird’s Nest.  The origins of this are unknown but it remains one of the most well known. The aspect ratio for this weave is 1.00/4.00. 1.00 is the width of the wire and 4.00 is the internal diameter.

Picture of Byzantine

Byzantine is good for a necklace, bracelet or earrings. Try to mix different colours in your handmade jewellery pieces by using gold fill, copper or enamelled wire to create unique pieces.

Chain Maille is either easy or complex to make dependant of your level of skill.  All you need is two pairs of pliers. Sharp nosed pliers are ideal. There are many books showing how to complete the projects and you will be guaranteed to attract compliments. The jewellery can be worn to dress up with or just wear with a pair of jeans and tee shirt.

Happy mailing!