Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Tim Simmons · 16th September 2016, 11:31 AM

There is no gospel truth about PNG highland shields. It seems to me that real interest in these shields is a recent thing, late 20th century and most likely too late to be wholly accurate.

The shields in this thread appear to be from the Wahgi valley and environs. Information on these shields can be found in the a fore mentioned "Shields of Melanesia"
Reference is made to a {lifted from Shields Melanesia} Father William Ross, one of the earliest Europeans to enter the Wahgi Valley, described three types of shields in use near Mount Hagen in the 1950s. {Mennis 1982}

A half-sized wooden battle shield {rumag} was reported to be use for close fighting but, according to {Mennis: 174}, no examples are known. However, the smaller oval shield used by bowmen, which is called kumbe ramokl {fig 5.24} is probably the one referred to by Ross. The terms recorded rumag and ramokl are most likely the same word.

The other shields being a small wooden parrying shield similar in form to Australian Western desert shields. Full sized war shields at 1.50m by over 60cm. As I mentioned at the beginning I do not think one should establish any orthodoxy in the subject. I post fig 5.24 and maps that I have plundered, using image searches, to help in getting some idea of place.

16th September 2016, 11:31 AM	#3
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,824	There is no gospel truth about PNG highland shields. It seems to me that real interest in these shields is a recent thing, late 20th century and most likely too late to be wholly accurate. The shields in this thread appear to be from the Wahgi valley and environs. Information on these shields can be found in the a fore mentioned "Shields of Melanesia" Reference is made to a {lifted from Shields Melanesia} Father William Ross, one of the earliest Europeans to enter the Wahgi Valley, described three types of shields in use near Mount Hagen in the 1950s. {Mennis 1982} A half-sized wooden battle shield {rumag} was reported to be use for close fighting but, according to {Mennis: 174}, no examples are known. However, the smaller oval shield used by bowmen, which is called kumbe ramokl {fig 5.24} is probably the one referred to by Ross. The terms recorded rumag and ramokl are most likely the same word. The other shields being a small wooden parrying shield similar in form to Australian Western desert shields. Full sized war shields at 1.50m by over 60cm. As I mentioned at the beginning I do not think one should establish any orthodoxy in the subject. I post fig 5.24 and maps that I have plundered, using image searches, to help in getting some idea of place. Attached Images Last edited by Tim Simmons; 16th September 2016 at 08:33 PM.