Samurai Armour: Volume I - The Japanese Cuirass

For beauty, precision, and strength, nothing has ever matched the combination of form and function found in the armor of the samurai. For a samurai, the consummate warrior, his suit of armor was so much more than `just` protective equipment that could save his life in the heat of battle - it was the embodiment of his personality, social status, and very soul. This volume, the first in a two-part series, traces first the history of the samurai themselves and then examines the history and evolution of the cuirass or dou, the armor protecting the samurai`s chest. Drawing on over 20 years of research and technical work by Trevor Absolon, a leading expert, this is a complete study of this fundamental aspect of samurai armor construction.