Spaulders are armoured plates worn on the upper arms and shoulders in a suit of plate armour.
Developed during the Middle Ages, the use of spaulders declined during the Renaissance along with the use of plate armour.
Unlike pauldrons, spaulders do not cover the arm holes when worn with a cuirass. Instead, the gaps may be covered by besagews or simply left bare, exposing the mail beneath.
The Japanese (samurai) form of the spaulder is called sode.
Though the use of spaulders has declined, various craftsmen and machine shops still exist which can craft a pair of spaulders for use in a museum or in simulated combat during reenactments.
Additionally, the Iraq War saw the introduction of a modern day version of the spaulder, in the form of the "Deltoid Axillary Protector" add-on to the Interceptor body armor worn by US soldiers.
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