Armor wasn't just worn by knights in the Middle Ages. Archaeologists have uncovered a number of pieces of armor like that worn by soldiers in Europe in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. By that time, most of the fighting was done with guns and bullets rather than bows and arrows. Armor, which was made of steel plates, had to become stronger and thus heavier to protect soldiers from bullets. The tremendous weight of the armor made full suits of armor like those worn in medieval times impractical .

By the time Jamestown was settled, the most popular form of armor was the pikeman's suit weighing about 24 lbs. This armor consisted of a helmet, a breastplate, a backplate, steel plates called tassets which protected the upper thighs, and, sometimes, a neck protection piece known as a gorget.