Identifying Armour has been written in order to help archaeologists and other people to identify metal plate armor, dating from 1370 to 1490 AD. This guide focusses on armor that has been made in West-Europe and it discusses the archaeological aspects of the subject, including the history of armor, corrosive processes, excavations and the dating of armor. Literature research, examining armor and handling extant pieces of armor have proven to be effective research methods when used complimentary, hence the diverse usage thereof. These methods have been used to shed light on the matter of what different armor parts there are, in what way armor is preserved in the ground, and how this guide should be designed. The creation of this guide, with its additional information and typo-chronology will help the reader with the identification of armor.

With this guide as the first of its kind, more eras, styles and details can be researched in the future. But for now, the knowledge of the user can be supplemented with this guide. Next to this, the awareness of armor is hopefully increased and the archaeological value recognized.

This is a guide for re-enactors, historians, archaeologists, museum professionals, art restorers and armor enthusiasts. Whether you want to identify armor from a painting, interpret the style of a certain type of helmet or date a sculpture based on its military fashion, this book might be for you.