A piece of armor or a cloth covering that protects the back, or a decorative cloth hanging at the back of an altar in a church.
From Old French 'dorsel' derived from Latin 'dorsum' (back), referring to something positioned at or protecting the back. In religious contexts, it became a liturgical vestment.
Cathedral dorsels were essentially fabric billboards—priests and architects used them not just for protection but to display beautiful embroidery and communicate theological messages to worshippers standing before the altar!
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