I saw this armor with a movable hook on the chest, I've never seen it before, some say its a lance rest, I'm very curious of the proper purpose, why they would have it?
(I immediately searched to see if there was an armor identifier on Tumblr since it seems like they have one for everything, phones, cats, planes)
Lance rest is the correct term, although lance arrest or lance stop would be a more appropriate translation.
The lance arrest is an innovation that first appeared in the late 14th century. As depicted above, it is a metal hook, usually foldable, which is either bolted directly to the cuirass or attached via a removeable pin and staple system.
Lances designed for use with an arrest would be equipped with a ring affixed just behind the hand.
Dosso Dossi, "St. George," c. 1540, Pinacoteca di Brera
When charging, the lance would be set atop the arrest with this ring against it. Upon impact, the arrest would catch the ring, transfering the force of the blow to the user's body, and preventing the lance from being pushed backwards. This dramatically increased the power a couched lance was capable of delivering.
Paolo Uccello, "The Battle of San Romano" (detail), c. 1435-1460, Galleria deglia Uffizi
The arrest was likely developed to help counter the increasing presence of plate armor. As quality plate became more prevalent, the simple couched lance became less effective, so methods were sought to increase its power.
This is a simplistic overview of the lance arrest, but I hope it's been a helpful one. Cheers!
amandla
