Bevor

A bevor (/ˈbiːvər/ BEE-vər) or beaver^[1]^[2] is a piece of plate armour designed to protect the neck, much like a gorget.

Etymology

The word “bevor” or “beaver” is derived from Old French baver, meaning ‘to dribble’. This is a reference to the effect on the wearer of the armour during battle.^[2]

Description

The bevor was a component of a medieval suit of armour. It was usually a single piece of plate armour protecting the chin and throat and filling the gap between the helmet and breastplate.^[1] The bevor could also extend over the knight’s left shoulder doubling the thickness of the armour.^[3]

The bevor was originally worn in conjunction with a type of helmet known as a sallet.^[4] With the close helm and burgonet, developments of the sallet in the late medieval and Renaissance period, the bevor became a hinged plate protecting the lower face and throat.^[5] In the 16th century, the bevor developed into the falling buffe. This was a composite piece made up of several lames protecting the lower face and throat, but which could be raised or lowered as the lames were articulated.^[6]^[7]

References

^ ^a ^b Wagner, Eduard; Drobná, Zoroslava; Durdík, Jan (2014). Medieval Costume, Armour and Weapons. p. 41. ISBN 978-0-486-32025-0. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
^ ^a ^b Oakeshott, Ewart (2012). European Weapons and Armour: From the Renaissance to the Industrial Revolution. p. 87. ISBN 978-1-84383-720-6.
^ Puype, J. P.; Stevens, Harm (2010). Arms and Armour of Knights and Landsknechts in the Netherlands Army Museum. p. 48. ISBN 978-90-5972-413-6.
^ Oakeshott, Ewart (2012). European Weapons and Armour: From the Renaissance to the Industrial Revolution. pp. 111–113. ISBN 978-1-84383-720-6.
^ Oakeshott, Ewart (2012). European Weapons and Armour: From the Renaissance to the Industrial Revolution. pp. 121–122, 214–217. ISBN 978-1-84383-720-6.
^ Terjanian, Pierre, ed. (2019). The Last Knight: The Art, Armor, and Ambition of Maximilian I. Metropolitan Museum of Art. p. 308. ISBN 978-1-58839-674-7.
^ Kirkland, J. Michael (2006). Stage Combat Resource Materials: A Selected and Annotated Bibliography. p. 267. ISBN 978-0-301-30710-7.

External links

The bevor's description on myarmoury.com
The Art of Chivalry : European arms and armor from the Metropolitan Museum of Art : an exhibition, Issued in connection with an exhibition in 1982 at The Metropolitan Museum of Art

This medieval armour–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[Wagner41-1] Wagner, Eduard; Drobná, Zoroslava; Durdík, Jan (2014). Medieval Costume, Armour and Weapons. p. 41. ISBN 978-0-486-32025-0. Retrieved 15 January 2021.

[Oakeshott2012-2] Oakeshott, Ewart (2012). European Weapons and Armour: From the Renaissance to the Industrial Revolution. p. 87. ISBN 978-1-84383-720-6.

[PuypeStevens2010-3] Puype, J. P.; Stevens, Harm (2010). Arms and Armour of Knights and Landsknechts in the Netherlands Army Museum. p. 48. ISBN 978-90-5972-413-6.

[4] Oakeshott, Ewart (2012). European Weapons and Armour: From the Renaissance to the Industrial Revolution. pp. 111–113. ISBN 978-1-84383-720-6.

[5] Oakeshott, Ewart (2012). European Weapons and Armour: From the Renaissance to the Industrial Revolution. pp. 121–122, 214–217. ISBN 978-1-84383-720-6.

[6] Terjanian, Pierre, ed. (2019). The Last Knight: The Art, Armor, and Ambition of Maximilian I. Metropolitan Museum of Art. p. 308. ISBN 978-1-58839-674-7.

[7] Kirkland, J. Michael (2006). Stage Combat Resource Materials: A Selected and Annotated Bibliography. p. 267. ISBN 978-0-301-30710-7.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

v t e Components of medieval European armour
Head	Armet Barbute Bascinet Burgonet Cervelliere Enclosed helmet Close helmet Great helm Frog mouth Hounskull Lobster tail pot Mail coif Morion Nasal helmet Sallet Spangenhelm Kettle hat
Face	Visor Falling buffe
Neck	Aventail Bevor Gorget Pizaine
Torso	Breastplate Brigandine Cuirass Culet Pauncer Plackart Fauld Hauberk Codpiece Lance rest Coat of plates Jack of plate
Arms	Ailette Besagew Couter Gauntlet Pauldron Rerebrace Spaulder Vambrace
Legs	Bases Chausses Cuisses Greave Poleyn Sabaton Schynbald Tasset
Pieces	Gousset Lame Rondel Arming points