Chainmail

 

This is chainmail from the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. I cannot imagine how heavy this was to wear. Here is a very brief explanation about this form of protection from Wikipedia: Chain mail.

Chain mail (often just mail or sometimes chainmail)[1] is a type of armour consisting of small metal rings linked together in a pattern to form a mesh. It was generally in common military use between the 3rd century BC and the 16th century AD in Europe, and longer in Asia and North Africa. A coat of this armour is often referred to as a hauberk, and sometimes a byrnie.