Brass chainmail worn by the crew of the Mary Rose was ‘a surprisingly modern alloy’

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Soldiers on the Mary Rose warship in the 16th century wore chainmail made of high-quality brass, it has been revealed. 

Analysis of the links discovered the armour was made of a surprisingly modern alloy of 73 per cent copper and 27 per cent zinc. 

The revelation comes from an international team of researchers who continue to analyse artefacts found on the Mary Rose, Henry VIII’s favourite ship. 

The warship sank during a battle with the French in the Solent, just outside Portsmouth Harbour, on July 19, 1545.

It was fighting with around 500 men on-board, who used around 60-80 guns firing cannonballs at the enemy fleet. 

After centuries preserved in the silt at the bottom of the sea, she was raised in 1982 and a haul of almost 20,000 items was recovered. 

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Pictured, a cleaned and conserved link. It is one of the three links found on the Mary Rose and was found to be well-preserved. X-ray analysis found it to be made from an alloy of 73 per cent copper and 27 per cent zinc

Pictured, the three rings with the appearance of copper. However, they are made of brass. The Mary Rose sank during a battle with the French in the Solent, just outside Portsmouth Harbour, on July 19, 1545

Pictured, the three rings with the appearance of copper. However, they are made of brass. The Mary Rose sank during a battle with the French in the Solent, just outside Portsmouth Harbour, on July 19, 1545

The discovery of the Tudor rose from the bow of the Mary Rose  

The carved Tudor rose – the earliest English figurehead representing the ship’s name – was retrieved from the bottom of the Solent more than a decade ago as a small piece of wood.

The conserved artefact – which still has its carvings despite years of erosion while languishing in the silt of the sea – has now been officially identified as the flower which was fixed to the bow of the Mary Rose.

The rose was found in 2003, after a group of divers working on a Ministry of Defence excavation made what would transpire to be a hugely historic discovery.

The divers had been searching the area for the ship’s bowcastle and were trying to raise the Tudor ship’s stem and anchor after the government applied to widen and straighten the channel.

As these pieces were being prepared for lifting, the divers came across a carved wooden artefact, which was about four feet long and shaped like a lollipop.

Unsure what it was, the wood was raised and put into a water tank at the Mary Rose Museum where it was kept without investigation.

But, more than a decade on, it has now been properly identified as the ship’s emblem. Last year, the Mary Rose Trust asked the University of Portsmouth for help to enhance the carvings to see what was there.

X-ray analysis led by scientists at the universities of Warwick and Ghent revealed the structure of three rings found on the ship, each around 1cm (0.4inch) in diameter.

It found the rings are well preserved, despite being submerged for more than 400 years. 

The small circular brass rings are believed to have belonged to either a sheet or chain of armour, potentially worn by a crew member. 

State-of-the-art X-ray technology in Grenoble, called XMaS beamline gave the scientists insight into the state of the chain links. 

Emeritus Professor Mark Dowsett from the University of Warwick’s Department of Physics, who led the research, said: ‘The results indicate that in Tudor times, brass production was fairly well controlled and techniques such as wire drawing were well developed. Brass was imported from Ardennes and also manufactured at Isleworth. 

‘I was surprised at the consistent zinc content between the wire links and the flat ones. It’s quite a modern alloy composition.’ 

The highly sensitive process also discovered traces of heavy metals, such as gold and lead on the surface. The origin of these metals is currently unknown.  

Professor Dowsett says: ‘The heavy metal traces are interesting because they don’t seem to be part of the alloy but embedded in the surface. 

‘One possibility is that they were simply picked up during the production process from tools used to work lead and gold as well.

‘Lead, mercury and cadmium, however, arrived in the Solent during WW2 from the heavy bombing of Portsmouth Dockyard. 

‘Lead and arsenic also came into the Solent from rivers like the Itchen over extended historical periods.

‘In a Tudor battle, there might be quite a lot of lead dust produced by the firing of munitions. Lead balls were used in scatter guns and pistols, although stone was used in canon at that time.’ 

After the Mary Rose vessel was raised in 1982, the three artefacts were subjected to different cleaning and conservation treatments to find the best way to prevent corrosion.

One used distilled water, one benzotriazole (BTA) solution and the last method involved cleaning before coating with BTA and silicone oil.

The X-ray scanning method allowed the scientists to assess which method was most effective at preserving these rare artefacts. 

It revealed all three methods were effective at staving off corrosion.    

In 2018, 1,200 cannonballs found on the Mary Rose were put on display after being treated. 

Pictured, one of the rings which was conserved and will not corrode, but it was not cleaned. The ring is believed to have formed part of chainmail armour worn by crew members on the Mary Rose - the warship favoured by King Henry VIII

Pictured, one of the rings which was conserved and will not corrode, but it was not cleaned. The ring is believed to have formed part of chainmail armour worn by crew members on the Mary Rose – the warship favoured by King Henry VIII

After the Mary Rose vessel was raised in 1982, the three artefacts analysed by high-tech X-rays were subjected to different cleaning and conservation treatments to prevent corrosion. One used distilled water, one benzotriazole (BTA) solution and the last method involved cleaning before coating with BTA and silicone oil

After the Mary Rose vessel was raised in 1982, the three artefacts analysed by high-tech X-rays were subjected to different cleaning and conservation treatments to prevent corrosion. One used distilled water, one benzotriazole (BTA) solution and the last method involved cleaning before coating with BTA and silicone oil

The Mary Rose (artist's impression) sank in battle with the French, killing more than 500 men. Incredibly, the starboard hull remained intact by being embedded in mud on the seabed, which prevented it from being eroded by tides and bacteria

The Mary Rose (artist’s impression) sank in battle with the French, killing more than 500 men. Incredibly, the starboard hull remained intact by being embedded in mud on the seabed, which prevented it from being eroded by tides and bacteria

The cannonballs, which are the largest assemblage of cast iron shot from Tudor England, were kept away from public gaze in low humidity containers.

Researchers performed a variety of experiments on the cannonballs to find ways of removing the chlorine from the sea water which had permeated throughout the artefacts. 

If the items were put on display with chlorine still present, it would react with the air and the items would corrode rapidly.  

Using a carefully concocted liquid to extract the chlorine, it was successfully removed and the lifespan of all metal artefacts from the Mary Rose extended.  

Professor Dowsett says the chlorine extraction was highly effective. 

‘Analysis shows that basic measures to remove chlorine followed by storage at reduced temperature and humidity form an effective strategy even over 30 years,’ he explains.  

Professor Mieke Adriaens, Head of the Electrochemistry and Surface Analysis Group at Ghent University said: ‘It is fascinating to examine ancient technology using specially developed analytical methods which can then be applied to modern materials too.

‘It was also a real privilege to be allowed access to these unique artefacts and to play a part in unravelling their story.’ 

The Mary Rose sank in battle with the French, killing more than 500 men.

Incredibly, the starboard hull remained intact by being embedded in mud on the seabed, which prevented it from being eroded by tides and bacteria.

The ship went on display in the Mary Rose museum exactly 471 years after it perished in the Solent, just outside Portsmouth Harbour, on July 19, 1545

The ship went on display in the Mary Rose museum exactly 471 years after it perished in the Solent, just outside Portsmouth Harbour, on July 19, 1545

Scientists previously used powerful X-rays to help preserve 1,200 cannonballs (pictured) found on Henry VIII's ship, the Mary Rose nearly 500 years after it perished near Portsmouth

Scientists previously used powerful X-rays to help preserve 1,200 cannonballs (pictured) found on Henry VIII’s ship, the Mary Rose nearly 500 years after it perished near Portsmouth

Since being raised in 1982 – an event watched by 60 million viewers worldwide – the hull has been kept in highly protective surroundings.

For decades, the ship was constantly coated with millions of litres of finely-sprayed, fresh water at a temperature of less than 5°C (41°F). 

That process, along with a series of wax chemicals, were used to stop the wood drying out and to inhibit bacterial activity.

Then, in 1985, the ship was turned upright and titanium props were installed to support the internal structure and work was undertaken to remove as much sediment as possible.

From 1994, active conservation commenced with the spraying of Polyethylene Glycol (Peg), a water-soluble polymer which can penetrate deep into the wood and support the cell walls.

Then, in April 2013, the Peg sprays were turned off and the hull was kept in a state of controlled air-drying phase 100 tonnes of water during the next four to five years. 

Once drying was complete, the internal walls surrounding the hull were removed so visitors would be able to see a completely unobstructed view of the hull – a phase that was seen as the culmination of the project.

Small viewing panels were replaced with floor-to-ceiling windows and a balcony entered through an airlock so the ship can be seen in all its glory. 

How the Mary Rose was salvaged from the bottom of the Solent

The vessel, Henry VIII’s flagship, was put on display in the Mary Rose museum exactly 471 years after it perished in the Solent, just outside Portsmouth Harbour, on July 19, 1545. 

The Mary Rose sank in battle with the French, killing more than 500 men. 

Incredibly, the starboard hull remained intact by being embedded in mud on the seabed, which prevented it from being eroded by tides and bacteria. 

For decades, it was constantly coated with millions of litres of finely-sprayed, fresh water at a temperature of less than 5°C (41°F). That process, along with a series of wax chemicals, were used to stop the wood drying out and to inhibit bacterial activity.

Then, in 1985, the ship was turned upright and titanium props were installed to support the internal structure and work was undertaken to remove as much sediment as possible.

From 1994, active conservation commenced with the spraying of Polyethylene Glycol (Peg), a water-soluble polymer which can penetrate deep into the wood and support the cell walls. 

Then, in April 2013, the Peg sprays were turned off and the hull was kept in a state of controlled air-drying phase 100 tonnes of water during the next four to five years.

Once drying was complete, the internal walls surrounding the hull were removed so visitors would be able to see a completely unobstructed view of the hull.

However, the drying process has caused unwanted movement which they are now monitoring with special cameras as they try to prop up the ship using scaffolding.