Throughout the Medieval and Dark ages (roughly 500-1100 AD), the predominant type of body armor was a coat of chain mail with a light helm (either conical or round). Vambraces, greaves, and gloves could also be added, in which case it would be consider a full suit of armor. Also for added protection a coif of chain mail could be worn around the head and neck area. The averages warrior's equipment was completed with a weapon of some kind and usually a shield. Common weapons used back then included swords, axes, and spears. Bows and arrows were also used extensively but usually not in accompaniment with heavy suit

After Boromir's death the reader learns two important facts concerning Orcs. It is learned that there are several different factions of Orcs, each having loyalty to a different master. Some of the Orcs that killed Boromir were from Isengard and presumably sent by Saruman, and others were from Mordor, presumably sent by Sauron. The other important thing that the reader learns is that the Orcs decorated their mail, ornately in some cases. Much of their armor was decorated with runes or carved to resemble something. This fact is a strikingly parallel to the ornate decorations of weaponry during the Dark and Medieval ages. The decorations probably helped to distinguish between friend and foe, and to show a sense of pride for one's own army.

In Lord of the Rings, when Isengard is being assaulted by Rohanners on foot, shield walls are used extensively. A shield wall is formed by men of an army marching in a tightly packed horizontal line and putting their shields together. This tactic has been used extensively throughout our history, beginning with the Vikings. Another tactic that was used during the same battle was that of using trenches for defense. Trenches were not used extensively in our own world until World War 1, but they were seldom used in the Dark and Medieval ages.

In conclusion, nearly all of the weapons and armor used in Middle Earth are the same as those used in our Dark and Medieval Ages. Every belligerent creature in Middle Earth, from Aragorn to the Orc Lord of Moria, used weapons and armor common to our own world. The weapons and armor used in Middle Earth were even decorated much in the fashion that men of Earth decorated theirs; with runes, paintings, and symbols of all kinds. The several of the battle tactics mentioned in The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings were the same as those used in our Medieval and Dark ages, including: encirclement, shield walls, and trenches. Tolkien was a master of combining th

Some common words found in the essay are:
Medieval Dark, Dark Medieval, Captain Moria, Rings Isengard, Merry Merry, Orcs Mordor, Middle Earth, Orcs Isengard, Saruman Mordor, Wargs Goblins, medieval ages, dark medieval, dark medieval ages, middle earth, weapons armor, mail coat, lord rings, own world, armor middle earth, minas tirith, wore mail, armor middle, weapons armor middle, orc captain moria, middle earth dark,
Approximate Word count = 1313
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)