How was European armor stored when not in use?

by aresg

I don't know why this question popped into my head, but I tried googling it and didn't find a satisfactory answer.

When a person takes their armor off, how would it be stored for later use, either the next day or for extended periods of time? Specifically, when they're at home or an inn or when they're a guest in someone else's home. Did they have, like, a mannequin or a stand that they would put it on, to keep it from getting too dinged up, (kind of like the samurai armor you see in movies, when it's on display and the samurai suddenly needs it again because reasons) or was it just set aside in its own little corner? And what about when they were traveling and had to make camp for the night? Would they just sleep in it or set it aside?

This questions is just bugging me, and I hope someone is able to answer it.

KNHaw

There was actually a very good thread two years ago about travelling with armor. In it, there was a good report cited that indicated the best to worst options were:

  • Getting someone else to carry it for you
  • Wearing torso armor, carrying limb armor in a backpack
  • Everything in a backpack
  • Wearing everything (leg armor burns much more enegry than torso armor because you move it on every step).

As far as storage, if you're going to be wearing armor the next day it's a fairly easy thing to set up a stand. This helps leather air out from any sweat that may have accumulated. For longer term storage, I had a suit of brigandine armor (leather vest with plates) when I was in a medieval reenactment enthusiasts group and it fit quite well in a large plastic foot locker.

The one thing you would not do is allow armor to be left in contact with the ground or accumulate moisture overnight. Steel rusts and leather rots. Maintaining armor is tough enough as it is with replacing popped rivets and broken leather. Allowing moisture on armor is going to cause a huge headache afterwards.

Edit: Per /u/VikingPaul comment, the SCA is, indeed, more about anachronism than reenactment. I have modified appropriately.