Armlet (armilum, armilla, brachiale, manica). — The armlet, from prehistoric times to the present day, has served as an adornment for the arms of both men and women. It is almost always made of metal, crafted with various techniques; however, armlets carved from hard stone, ivory, amber, glass, or other materials, and even examples made of hair, are also frequently found.
The armlet assumed symbolic significance in the oaths that the Anglo-Saxons swore upon them; already under Conrad I (d. 919) it formed part of royal attire. In the Paleochristian era, even among great men of the Church such as St. Cyprian (PL 4, 473), the use of the armlet continued, with forms not greatly different from the classical type. We know from Clement of Alexandria (PG 8, 548) that women still wore armlets in the form of serpents in his time. In the catacombs, armlets of various styles and materials have been found, largely of simple craftsmanship; many, especially for infants, are of glass, agate, or bronze (Vatican, Museo Sacro). The finest gold example with rich decoration, found beneath the basilica of St. Peter, dates to the post-Constantinian period. Already tending toward the Byzantine type of the 6th century are some silver armlets with disks, bearing representations of the Madonna and saints. Some ancient examples recall Syrian motifs: for instance, that in the British Museum, with the Madonna on a central medallion and vine tendrils on the pierced body (from Egypt).
Barbarian art also developed old classical forms with new decorations. Solid gold armlets in the shape of serpents are found, often with rounded or curved bodies, partly smooth, partly adorned with ornamentation. It was characteristic of that art to finish the extremities with animal heads.
The few armlets that remain from the early and late Middle Ages exhibit more refined forms; with the Renaissance, the armlet became even richer. The use of the armlet became very common in the 18th century, often with cameos or miniatures applied to strips of fabric, until, in the 19th century, the classical-giant forms flourished anew.
Guglielmo Federico Volbach