White Hun/Avar Horse Archer Armour Musings

 I have scouring the net been looking into what sort of armours that the non noble White Hun/Avar Horse Archer's might have worn as part of my Early Byzantine project when I stumbled across this very interesting site:

Military Culture of Horse Archers

This is a very interesting read as it shows most of the armours being made of leather. Whether or not the continuation of the wearing of such armours strides into the 6 CE is a matter of debate but it is very interesting to note that there seems to have been a vibrant culture of using leather as an armour which is something that I think I will incorporate onto the painting of my White Huns/Avars who will drafted in as allies and mercenaries in my Justinian and Heraclian Byzantine armies

Most of the images below are taken from the above website Military Culture of Horse Archers. It is certainly food for thought. In trying to answer this question; was leather preferred even by the higher ranks of society to metal armour(?) is an idea that am currently reading bits and bobs from various books which include:

The Byzantine Wars, John Haldon (Tempus)

Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome, Phil Barker (WRG)

Armies of the Dark Ages, Ian Heath (WRG)

The Hun, Scourge of God AD 375-565 (Osprey Warrior)

Mounted Archers of the Steppe 600BC - AD 1300 (Osprey- Elite)

Justinian's Wars, Belisarius, Narses and the Reconquest of the West Roy Boss (Montvert)

Byzantine Armies 325AD - 1453 AD Dmitris Belezos (Periscopio)

And, of course, any other information I can glean. I clearly have a lot more reading to do so if anyone has any suggestions I would be very happy to hear from you.

Metal and Padded Armours:

Leather Armours: