AUSTRALIAN SHIELDS

[VANDOO]

I WILL START WITH SHIELDS FROM WESTERN AUSTRALIA REFERRED TO AS WUNDA SHIELDS. THE ONES I HAVE SEEN USUALLY RANGE IN SIZE FROM 81 CM. TO 70CM. LONG AND 14 CM TO 15 CM .WIDE. MOST HAVE CARVED DESIGNS ON BOTH SIDES NONE OF THE GOOD OLD ONES HAVE POKERWORK= (BURNED IN DESIGNS) USUALLY OF A HARD RED WOOD ( IT MAY BE CALLED BEANWOOD) SOMETIMES WITH PIGMENTS ADDED. THIS IS SCANT INFORMATION FEEL FREE TO ADD TO IT OR CORRECT ANY MISTAKES. ENJOY
PICTURES 2 AND 3 SHOW FRONT AND BACK OF ONE EXAMPLE COLLECTED IN THE 1920'S ITS 69.5 CM.LONG, PICTURES 3 AND 4 SHOW FRONT AND BACK OF ANOTHER.

[VANDOO]

VARIOUS AUSTRALIAN SHIELDS FROM QUEENSLAND. TWO PICTURES OF ABORIGINALS WITH SHIELDS ECT. TAKEN IN 1890. NOTE THE LARGE CLUB IN ONE PICTURE. THESE SHIELDS USUALLY RANGE IN SIZE FROM 48CM. TO 102 CM. USUALLY. PAINTED WITH PIGMENTS.

[Battara]

Not my area of interest, but good stuff and fascinating. Now I know...

[VANDOO]

THIN PARRYING SHIELDS FROM VARIOUS GROUPS IN NEW SOUTH WALES. I LIKE THIS VARIATION BECAUSE IT COULD SERVE AS A TWO POINTED WEAPON IN CLOSE QUARTERS AS WELL AS A SHIELD. SUCH SHIELDS RELIED ON THE AGILITY AND AWARNESS OF THE WARRIOR AS THERE WASN'T MUCH TO HIDE BEHIND GOOD BLOCKING AND MOVEMENT WAS THE KEY TO SURVIVAL.

[Sajen]

Very well done Barry!

[VANDOO]

A FEW MORE N.S.W. PARRYING SHIELDS THEY RANGE FROM 60 CM TO 87CM. LONG. POINTED ENDS AND CENTER CAN BE USED IN STRIKES TO OPPONEMTS BODY.

[VANDOO]

HERE ARE SOME FORMS FROM WESTERN TO CENTRAL AUSTRALIA. THEY USUALLY RANGE AROUND 89 CM. LONG, SOME WITH PIGMENT AND SOME WITH NONE. THE PICTURE OF THE ABORIGINALS IS FROM THE GREY RIVER AREA. THE FIRST TWO PICTURES ARE FRONT AND BACK OF A SHIELD FROM THE LAGRANGE AREA. THE SMALL LAST PICTURE IS OF A NEWER ONE I AM NOT SURE OF THE LOCATION.

[billevans]

Originally Posted by VANDOO

THIN PARRYING SHIELDS FROM VARIOUS GROUPS IN NEW SOUTH WALES. I LIKE THIS VARIATION BECAUSE IT COULD SERVE AS A TWO POINTED WEAPON IN CLOSE QUARTERS AS WELL AS A SHIELD. SUCH SHIELDS RELIED ON THE AGILITY AND AWARNESS OF THE WARRIOR AS THERE WASN'T MUCH TO HIDE BEHIND GOOD BLOCKING AND MOVEMENT WAS THE KEY TO SURVIVAL.

usually parrying shields with a flattened front and triangular reverse are from Western Victoria not NSW.

[VANDOO]

THANKS FOR THE CORRECTIONS ON THE BEANWOOD AND PARRYING SHIELDS. HERE ARE THE LAST OF MY PICTURES OF AUSTRALIAN SHIELDS. THE PIC. OF THE SINGLE WARRIOR IS 1890'S NORTHERN TERRITORY. THE ENGRAVING WITH TWO PEOPLE IS FROM 1870. THE THIRD HAS VARIOUS ITEMS AS WELL AS SHIELDS AND WARRIORS.

[billevans]

Originally Posted by VANDOO

I WILL START WITH SHIELDS FROM WESTERN AUSTRALIA REFERRED TO AS WUNDA SHIELDS. THE ONES I HAVE SEEN USUALLY RANGE IN SIZE FROM 81 CM. TO 70CM. LONG AND 14 CM TO 15 CM .WIDE. MOST HAVE CARVED DESIGNS ON BOTH SIDES NONE OF THE GOOD OLD ONES HAVE POKERWORK= (BURNED IN DESIGNS) USUALLY OF A HARD RED WOOD ( IT MAY BE CALLED BEANWOOD) SOMETIMES WITH PIGMENTS ADDED. THIS IS SCANT INFORMATION FEEL FREE TO ADD TO IT OR CORRECT ANY MISTAKES. ENJOY
PICTURES 2 AND 3 SHOW FRONT AND BACK OF ONE EXAMPLE COLLECTED IN THE 1920'S ITS 69.5 CM.LONG, PICTURES 3 AND 4 SHOW FRONT AND BACK OF ANOTHER.

I believe that beanwood is a term often used regarding the soft wood shields of Central Australia, not hardwood shields from Western Australia.