Gorget

A piece of armor protecting the throat and neck, or a decorative collar worn as part of military or ceremonial dress.

From Old French 'gorge' meaning 'throat,' the gorget began as essential medieval armor protecting the vulnerable neck area between helmet and breastplate. As warfare evolved beyond hand-to-hand combat, the gorget transformed from practical protection to ceremonial symbol, becoming the crescent-shaped badge of military officers. Surprisingly, this piece of armor survived into the 20th century purely as decoration, making it one of the longest-lasting elements of medieval military dress.