South and Central American Shields?

[Lee]

Request in my e-mail. Can you help?

I am contacting you in hopes that you can point me in the direction of some information. I am an artist and currently I am preparing for a 7 session "be your own super hero" after school enrichment class for some 4th and 5th graders. We are exploring all types of history and science information while they create their own super hero character. In the second session we are making shields. I have found a wealth of information on the history of shields from Greece forward, but all are decidedly Euro centric. I was hoping to also incorporate some information from maybe native american shields (especially south american, as many of the students have south american ancestry). About all I found were references to the North American mandellas, I will use this as a point of discussion as they have quite a different twist to them than the european shield, with the relationship of medicine and power. Are there other examples that you know of that would follow along this line, that would be more closely related to south and or central America? Any clues or information would be appreciated.

[VANDOO]

I DON'T HAVE MUCH IN THIS FIELD BUT HERE IS A PICTURE WITH SOME AZTEC SHIELDS AND REGALIA AND TWO PICTURES FRONT AND BACK IT IS 20 IN. IN DIA. AND SAID TO BE 20 TH. CENTURY. AND ONE PICTURE OF A CHEYENE SHIELD. PERHAPS I CAN FIND SOMETHING ELSE LATER.

[Martin Lubojacky]

There is stable exhibition of America´s art in Naprstek museum in Prague, incl. nice shields (but I think mostly north American). If they do not mind making photos, I could try, but I think they are very strickt there

[Tim Simmons]

Tukano people NW Brazil.

[Martin Lubojacky]

Hi Lee,
Enclosed please find a few photos from Naprstek Museum permanent exhibiton - only one shield, nevertheless the other pictures may contain some inspiration, too (?). There is:No 2 - Teton/Lakota (Sioux), 2nd half of 19 century, 3 - woman´s leather blouse, Kiowa, Southern Plains, 4 - wolf mask (I am not sure if Tlingit Alaska or Noo-ohah-nuulth Vancouver Island), 1909, 5 - bows (Canada ?, I forgot the tribe), 6 - Navajo, before 1931, 7 - gunstock club + pipe tomahawk, Dakota (Santee Sioux), Minesota, 1859, 8 - ball headed club, also Santee Sioux 1859, 9 - shield Cheyenne, Omaha, before 1880, 10 - eagle war bonnet, Western Sioux - Lakota, 1893, 11 - bonnet from virgin forest South America (I forgot tribe), 12 - Bororo tribe
Regards,
Martin

[Martin Lubojacky]

second half

[VANDOO]

TWO PICTURES OF A CHIPPAWA SHIELD 16.5 INCH IN DIAMETER, FRONT AND BACK. ONE PICTURE OF A CROW SPIRIT SHIELD SIX AND THREE QUARTER INCHES IN DIA. THESE WERE WORN AS CHARMS AND PROTECTION NOT USED AS A WAR SHIELD.