The Weight of History
I was drawn to chain maille after learning a bit of the history of the Vikings. Although researchers have concluded that Viking success in battle was mostly due to their heroic ethic of warfare and violence, wherein to die heroically in battle was the only way to earn one’s entrance into Valhalla, the material aspects of their warrior culture also played a great role. While most of us are aware that Vikings used particular ship designs to great effect, I assume that most, as I was, are unaware that Viking technology in maille was superior to other areas of Europe at the time.
Wanting to adorn myself with something that embodies the Viking warrior culture, and a Viking ship being out of the question, I thought a maille bracelet would be the perfect embodiment. With dreams of brotherhood and conquest dancing in my head, I was immediately forced to rejoin the modern world when I began searching the internet for sources of maille. Ebay and google turned up only cheap, mass-produced, flimsy-looking bracelets being sold by merchants. Instead, I was looking for an artisan who could create for me a cultural and historical artifact; someone schooled in the history of maille, that had studied its forms, and had worked many years to perfect the craft of its production. This desire was not prompted by the Vikings as much as my taking very seriously the source and quality of things that I buy. Although, how could I buy a cruddy bracelet at the mall, something made in China and sold at an outrageous profit to the benefit of a corporation, and pretend that it has any connection to an age when living and dying were serious business. Thus, I was pleasantly surprised to find an Etsy seller named Crescent Maille who seemed to match my criteria.
After exchanging emails with Crescent Maille we settled on a larger version of the European 4-in-1 cuff she advertises on Etsy. Instead of the half-inch she offers, I wanted something twice as large. She worked to find a clasp that would support such a bracelet, and we finalized all the details in a couple of days. During its construction she emailed me photos so that I could share in its progress. I was also able to share in her passion for creating something particular and lasting. I’m not sure, but I think she worked all day on a Saturday to create most of the bracelet. Oxidization and polishing process took a week more, as Crescent Maille knew that I wanted something that was not beautiful only for the sake of beauty. Although she is working to create beautiful and artistic maille, I was thinking martial maille all the way. Therefore she spent a week placing my bracelet amongst boiled eggs to get the proper coloration before selectively polishing to give the greatest effect to the maille. Even through the ahumanity of email, I could feel her pride and excitement when she told me it was in the mail. Just as this was not just a bracelet for me, it was not just a way to make a vulgar dollar for her.
When I received the bracelet in the mail, I was first struck by its color. The oxidization and polishing created something that looks like snake skin, at once shiny and worn. The second thing I realized was its size. It is a huge piece of jewelry, more masculine and terrifying than I ever hoped. Finally, upon putting it on, I was overwhelmed by its weight. Its heaviness more than anything else about it brings home the glory of the history that created it. Even though it feels luxurious and silky on my skin, I will never forget it is there. It has that peculiar weight that makes one feel responsibility but also invigoration. The weight of tradition. The weight of a life of myth and meaning. The weight of history.
— Mark Dyal. PhD Candidate in Cultural Anthropology at CUNY. Studies modern Italy, political extremism, and the ethics of violence.
