Elephant Armor

Full-body armor for the war elephant

Elephant armor was massive protective equipment used to armor war elephants by civilizations including the Mughal Empire and the Khmer Empire. Combining iron plates and leather to protect the elephant's head, torso, and legs, it often featured fearsome metal face masks to maximize intimidation. A howdah (riding platform) mounted on the back allowed archers and spearmen to fight from an elevated position, functioning much like an ancient tank. Though devastating in battle, war elephants risked stampeding into friendly lines when wounded or panicked.