Armor Type:  Back Armor

Brief Description:  A culet is a component of medieval plate armor designed to protect the lower back and buttocks. It consists of a series of overlapping horizontal metal bands, or lames. Working alongside front-facing faulds, this flexible assembly granted knights crucial mobility. Functioning as the rear counterpart to the front waist and hip plates, the culet is typically fastened directly to the lower edge of the backplate.





Articulation: The plates are joined by sliding rivets or leather straps, allowing the metal to flex as the knight bends over or mounts a horse.

Historical Origins: It gained widespread use during the 15th-century "transitional" and Gothic plate armor periods.

Alternative Names: Depending on the region and style, it was also referred to as a garde de rein (or garde rein).

Undergarments: To prevent blows from slipping underneath during combat, a skirt of chain mail or a specialized groin defense (brayette) was often worn beneath it.