"War Elephants With Ear Protection" Topic

While looking for pictures of what a Southern Dynasties elephant might look like I came across a color print of Asian elephants fighting with what look like wooden cart wheels or shields protecting their ears. Unfortunately I didn't save it and can't find it. He anyone one else seen it or something similar? Thanks for any input.

Just found it. For anyone interested:

goo.gl/images/V3GqAj

Sort of a Princess Leia look.

What's so funny is that 99% of all modern depictions of war elephants show a mahout completely devoid of any protection whatsoever…most can't even wear a shirt, lol…how much sense does this make? I'm pretty sure that since the elephant was usually protected and the crewmen in the tower were certainly protected, the DRIVER (mahout) who had the most difficult and dangerous job (probably took as long to be a mahout as does a modern day fighter pilot…maybe longer) would have a helmet and breastplate/ chainmail…I'm just sayin

The "ear-shields" based on an Islamic, perhaps Iranian or Afghan, statuette that I have seen drawn in one or other of David Nicolle's books (your colour plate is from Nicolle's "Mongol Warlords") – ah, see

I don't know of any SE Asian equivalent, so I suspect it's misused in your plate.

What on earth is "chainmail"?

Thank you.

Those ear shields are interesting. I wondered about the mahout and lack of armourment or weaponry, too. Early on, IIRC, there was a sort of chivalrous local attitude toward mahouts and they were not targeted. This changed when westerners invaded and, unaware of local customs, targeted the mahouts as well. I may misremember or misunderstood, but choose to field my Classical Indian army with unarmoured mahouts.

The Smithsonian has this as from Saljuq Iran, early 13th century

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

What on earth is "chainmail"?

One of those 'pass-it-along' emails; you know: "Forward this email to 5 people you love and they will have nice things happen to them all week!".