Caparison

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title: "Caparison" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["animal-armour", "horse-protective-equipment", "horse-ornamentation", "barding"] description: "Cloth covering laid over a horse or other animal for protection and decoration" topic_path: "general/animal-armour" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caparison" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Cloth covering laid over a horse or other animal for protection and decoration ::

::callout[type=note] the covering laid over an animal ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/René_d'Anjou_Livre_des_tournois_France_Provence_XVe_siècle_Barthélemy_d'Eyck.jpg" caption="The Dukes of Brittany (left) and Bourbon on caparisoned horses at a tournament fight (1460s), from ''[[Le Livre des tournois]]'' by [[Barthélemy d'Eyck"] ::

A caparison is a cloth covering laid over a horse or other animal for protection and decoration. In modern times, they are used mainly in parades and for historical reenactments. A similar term is horse-trapper. The word is derived from the Latin caparo, meaning a cape.

History

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Picador.JPG" caption="language=en}}"] ::

In the Middle Ages, caparisons were part of the horse armour known as barding, which was worn during battle and tournaments. They were adopted in the twelfth century in response to conditions of campaigning in the Crusades, where local armies employed archers, both on foot and horse, in large quantities. The covering might not completely protect the horse against the arrows but it could deflect and lessen their damage.

An early depiction of a knight's horse wearing a caparison may be seen on the small Carlton-in-Lindrick knight figurine from the late 12th century. Modern re-enactment tests have shown that a loose caparison protects the horse reasonably well against arrows, especially if combined with a gambeson-like undercloth underneath. Medieval caparisons were frequently embroidered with the coat of arms of the horse's rider.

In 1507, a horse disguised as a unicorn at the tournament of the Wild Knight and the Black Lady in Edinburgh had a caparison of black and white damask lined with canvas. Mary, Queen of Scots, gave Lord Darnley a caparison made of gold and silver cloth in September 1566. A caparison made of red taffeta for the horse of James VI of Scotland in June 1591 may have been intended for a masque performed at Tullibardine Castle. Velvet caparisons lined with buckram were made for Henrietta Maria and her gentlewomen in 1630s.

Domesticated and temple elephants of India

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/32/Decorated_Indian_elephant.jpg" caption="A decorated [[Indian elephant]] carrying a [[howdah]] during a fair in [[Jaipur]], [[India]]"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/Nettipattam.JPG" caption="''Nettipattam'' on a Caparison elephant"] ::

In the Indian state of Kerala, elephants are decorated during temple festivals. They wear a distinctive golden head covering called a nettipattam, which is often translated into English as an elephant caparison. However, it covers only the head, not the body, as in a horse caparison.

References

References

1. [http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=1479927 Trapper sold at Christie's]
2. "caparison (n.)". Online Etymology Dictionary.
3. (10 March 2010). "Jerusalem Besieged: From Ancient Canaan to Modern Israel". University of Michigan Press.
4. [[James Balfour Paul]], ''Accounts of the Treasurer'', vol. 3 (Edinburgh, 1901), p. 257.
5. Joseph Robertson, ''Inventaires'' (Edinburgh, 1863), pp. 42, 167.
6. Michael Pearce, 'Maskerye Claythis for James VI and Anna of Denmark', ''Medieval English Theatre 43'' (Cambridge: D. S. Brewer, 2022), p. 118.
7. Arthur MacGregor, 'Horsegear, Vehicles and Stable Equipment', ''Archaeological Journal 153'' (1997), pp. 176, 195.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::