Lacquered Dō-maru Armor

Timeline

1. c. 1171–1175Armories in the Kinai region · KinkiIn the late Heian period, samurai combat shifted toward mobile mounted archery and charges, and the heavy ō-yoroi gradually gave way to the lighter dō-maru. Craftsmen laced tanned leather or iron scales and coated them with multiple layers of natural urushi lacquer, making the armor tough and waterproof; red lacquer (shu-nuri) was especially common, becoming a distinctive visual feature of Japanese samurai armor.
2. c. 1175–1180Battlefields across Japan · JapanGenji and Taira warriors equipped themselves with dō-maru and helmets in manor conflicts, forming a complete system of protection and attack together with the Japanese bow and tachi. Lacquered armor surfaces were often painted with family crests or identifying marks to distinguish comrades; lower-ranking samurai typically wore plain lacquered scale armor, while senior commanders wore exquisite vermilion-lacquered ō-yoroi or dō-maru, displaying samurai status through the splendor of their armor.