<P> Most of the information known about the ō - yoroi is based on the armor of the higher - ranking officials since the armor was either donated to a shrine as an offering or maintained by the descendants of the original wearer . Many of the original components of the ō - yoroi still in existence have been replaced over time due to the items being lost or damaged . The few remaining examples of ō - yoroi are on display in museums in several different countries . There are also a few examples of ō - yoroi in Shinto shrines where they have been maintained and protected for centuries . </P> <P> The basic components of the ō - yoroi and other samurai armor are known collectively as the "hei - no - rokugu" or simply "rokugu," which means six articles of arms . The six major components are the dō (cuirass), kabuto (helmet), menpo (mask), kote (armoured sleeves), sune - ate (greaves), and the hai - date (cuisses). The ō - yoroi combines plate and scales (kozane) laced together (lamellar). One specific advance over earlier armors is that the kozane of ō - yoroi are first laced together and then covered with lacquer, which enhances resistance to corrosion . The dō of the ō - yoroi is unique from later models because it is composed of two separate parts instead of one piece with an opening on the side or back of the dō to allow the samurai to put on the armor . </P> <P> The ō - yoroi (dō) consisted of two parts . One (the waidate) was a separate defense for the right side and the other part covered the rest of the wearer's trunk . The upper part of the waidate was solid iron plate covered with leather . The lower part was lamellar . When dressing for battle, the waidate was put on before the rest of the dō and fastened with cords that tied around the body . The rest of the dō was constructed with individual lacquered scales (kozane) laced together and covered with leather on top . The shoulder straps of the dō - yoroi, the watagami, were also unique from those on the dō - maru . The watagami were made of leather with attached metal plates . They were thicker and offered more protection than the straps on the dō - maru . The watagami of the dō - maru were eventually adopted because it was lighter and allowed more flexibility . A four piece box like skirt (kusazuri) of similar construction to the rest of the armor differentiated the ō - yoroi from the other armours of the era, the (dō - maru) and the (haramaki), which usually had seven panels of kusazuri . </P> <P> Various supplementary pieces included large (shield like) rectangular lamellar shoulder guards (ō - sode) and a fabric and plate sleeve (yugote) worn on the left arm when using a bow . A loin protector (koshi - ate) was a basic part of the ō - yoroi . The koshi - ate was later replaced by the haidate in the do - maru model . Specialized archery gloves yugake were made from deerskin and boots (kegutsu or tsuranuki) were made of bearskin or sealskin . </P>

The earliest form of samurai armor (yoroi) was intended for use by