Artemyeva N.G., Prokopets S.D.

Key words: defensive armor, Jurchen, Far East archaeology, Jin Dynasty, state of Eastern Xia, cuirasse, helmet, medieval fortified settlements in Primorye, reconstruction of defensive armor.
Investigations at fortified settlements of the Jurchen state of Eastern Xia (1215 – 1233) in Primorye yielded new finds of defensive armor. The helmets have hemispherical forged iron domes, the circle for aventail attachment was riveted to the bottom edge. The other finds include iron masks and cuirasses. Of especial interest is the lamellar sleeveless jacket fastened on the left side, which provided for two U-shaped underarm plates. The shoulders and arms were protected by shoulder- and armguards; the lower part of the body was protected by a skirt, which consisted of several parts. The unique finds from the medieval fortified settlements in Primorye allow reconstructing most of the defensive armor and identifying its characteristic traits.