Two Good Moro Shields
 

I had decided about 2-3 years ago that I would never have a Moro shield in my collection...they were so rare and when found generally in such awful condition that it just may be impossible to find. Who would have thought that in five months I would find two good ones, both quite different!!!

The one shown at the top, is the smaller of the two, but still large by shield standards at 24in. across. It is all carved from one piece of lighter weight wood...an amazing accomplishment within itself! The decorative work is all carved into the wood and is left the wood's natural lighter color while the rest is tinted black. The carving was no doubt done after the wood was painted to create the two toned look. The edges of the shield are bound with bamboo that has been pegged and nailed into place. I suppose this shield is combat capable, but it is of a lighter wood and I can't imagine it having much durability for very long against heavy quality steel. I believe it may very well be a ceremonial piece.

The bottom shield is no doubt a combat ready war shield. It is approximately triple the weight of the smaller one and is made from a denser, harder wood. It is a massive 31in. across!! Again, amazingly, carved from one piece of wood, the shield is entirely painted with a red ochre-like tone and then darkened in the center. This example is also bound on its edges with bamboo. The center hole is filled by a wooden plug that has itself been punched and held into place by a small wooden peg. The punched in peg expands the plug and holds it in place. When one just picks this shield up with two hands it is very heavy, but when you position it correctly on your arm, it distributes the weight very evenly and makes it seem very much lighter and is very maneuverable . It was made for a small arm.

The center holes common to all these has something to do with its construction; I am assuming it is set on some sort of carpentry wheel to be finished.

Actually to really appreciate these you have to hold them to get an idea of the weight. But I thought the "Moro gang" would at least enjoy looking at two that had been recently collected....two I thought I would never have!

Does anyone know the correct Moro term for these shields???

Hello Charles,

Two very beautifull shields.
As you state hard to get. So you can imagine it's even harder to find one overhere.
I've wanted one for a long time, and I found some in private collections here in Europe. But unfortunately not for sale, or for a price I would never been able to pay.

I'm sure you can make a very nice display of your two shields with the moro weapons you have in your collection.

Congratulations and thank you for sharing these great pieces!

Maurice

Congrats for your both new surprisingly acquisitions and thank you for sharing! :)

I too would like to thank you for sharing the photos of and information on your new Moro shields. Like everyone else so far I too wish to some day be able to find one of these at a price that I can afford. My congratulations for being able to find not one but two of these incredibly illusive items.


Best,
Robert

Well I remember the first one that you beat me out of.......:mad:

Anyway I don't know about a specific name for the different types of Moro shields, but in general they are called taming .

By the way, even though the first one is lighter, the Igorots in the north also use lighter wood like this for some of their shields as well, including some of the combat ones.

Also if I am not mistaken, some of these had a place in the middle to place a metal spike, although I have yet to see such an example.

Congrats Charles,

I was offered the bottom one about 12 months ago along with other items from the regions. Did you get the rest of the collection? If I recall there was some provenance with them too...I think I still have the CD I was mailed...somewhere.

Gavin

Thanks for the feedback guys.

No provenance on the second shield that I am aware of.

I can't tell you all how thrilled I am to have found these.

Does anyone else find it curious that the decorated shields use very different styles of decoration than we see on Moro weapons. Shields tend to be decorated in simple tones that may highlight the middle or the outer rim...OR...with carved "sunburst" style motifs.

I would think that okir-style floral art would be more common. The edges on the black shield may come the closest to mimicking that style, but even then only somewhat.

I've had a quick look in my computerdatabase and found a very similar as yours!
Unfortunately I don't know where I found it.
But I copied it from somewhere of the internet in the past....

That one is identical, though in much better condition...I wonder if it was the same maker??!! The light contrast of the designs to the black is all carving and no additional coloring.

Double congrats on 2 great shields.
I'm guessing that, less than likely your arm or your hand would be able to slip thru the holes.

Yikes! and he scores!!! two rare pieces you got there, my friend. in regards to the colloquial terms, yes, Taming is right (in Tausug, but i'm not sure if it's the same in Maguindanao and Maranao tongue
regarding the notch in the center:
here's an example with a glass bottle bottom (provenanced 1899 and before). congrats, bro!

Wow that's also a beauty Ron. Is it yours?

I've also a picture of a moro shield which was offered to the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam in 2011. I don't know if it's in their collection now though.
It seems to have a metal centre ring.

Hello maurice,
No. this particular shield belongs to the collection of Webb Hayes. i was really surprise when i saw the bottle bottom. come to think of it tho, there's a possibility that it was added by a member of his troops on its way here. a month is a long time out in the open ocean, lol.
something we'll never know...

Maurice, nice shield, the design on the shield could be be interpreted as a fleur de lis......or a bird in flight. Did it belong to the Troppenmuseum once?

Hi Albert.
All I know is that it was offered to the Tropenmuseum in the year 2011.
They didn't know from what area the shield was originally and they asked for that.
I never heard if they added it afterwards in their collection or if they let it go eventually....(though as a firm collector I am, I told them besides it is a moro shield that I would be interested if they didn't want it)
:D

Unfortunately no reaction lateron...

Maurice

Spunjer....that's a nice and interesting shield. Is that one tinted with an earth tone yellow, or is that color just patinated wood carving?

Great other examples to observe...thanks for adding to the thread guys!!!

i'm not sure if it was patina or yellow pigment, charles. it's been awhile since i took these pics. i do remember the shield itself was ultralight, almost like balsa wood..

Maurice, That shield looks to have been broken in to at some point and rejoined or glued back(note the line running all along the top third of the shield...inside and out). That makes me very suspicious about the paint job being so perfect, not to mention the inside condition is almost too much better than the outside....something doesn't quite seem right there for me.

Yes Charles, they indeed also told it had been restored and it was broken.
I don't know about the paint....
Unfortunately I don't have any better images or close ups to show here..

Too bad about the break, but it's a good thing that all the pieces are present.
Unlike this one......

you still have this piece, albert? i remember you posting this awhile back. i would love to see this particular shield in all of its glory..

Yup, it's still with me. I like it too much to part with it.

these are really beautiful!!!! Congrats!!!