African (Nubian ?) shield

[colin henshaw]

Originally Posted by LJ

Great photos! Are those suits hanging on the wall of Blair Castle padded cotton horseman's tunics ? Strange coincidence that by following the links in another post just added (wanting help with a german translation) you get to a drawing of a Sudanese horseman wearing armour and also to an illustration of a shield similar to the ones we have been discussing. The German paper is about the Beja, which seems to be a catch-all name for groups living between the Nile and Red Sea if you believe Wikipedia.

Incidentally, about those marks in groups of four: could they have been pin-marks from decorations - silver plates for instance - formerly fixed to the shield ?

Thanks. The image I believe shows a chain mail jacket, however Blair Castle does have a padded tunic(s). Here are a few more images.

The marks in my shield could have been for the attachment of decorations, I guess. They are small holes that go right through, as if made by a strong needle.

[Gavin Nugent]

A great discussion and awesome images.

Below are a pair of spears I have here. I've also two of the shields in the initial post, one is mounted in my home, the other in storage, neither have the croc skin centre "tit" as my son calls it, both are thick, hard and weighty hide, pressed to shape and with thickened folded edges.

Gavin

[colin henshaw]

Originally Posted by Gavin Nugent

A great discussion and awesome images.

Below are a pair of spears I have here. I've also two of the shields in the initial post, one is mounted in my home, the other in storage, neither have the croc skin centre "tit" as my son calls it, both are thick, hard and weighty hide, pressed to shape and with thickened folded edges.

Gavin

Thanks Gavin. Fine spears ... the shafts are of a similar material (Nile reed ?) to the stick on my shield.

If possible, please post images of your two shields as they would be interesting comparisons.

Regards.

[Gavin Nugent]

Better late than never... I'll dig the other out in the new year...

[colin henshaw]

Originally Posted by Gavin Nugent

Better late than never... I'll dig the other out in the new year...

Fine shield, thanks for posting.

[Edster]

Colin,

I think this is a period (1819-22 illustration of your shield. Its from Frederic Cauilliaud's "Voyage to Meroe...", Vol. 2, p.64. The text, in French, likely provides location details.

Best,
Ed

[colin henshaw]

Originally Posted by Edster

Colin,

I think this is a period (1819-22 illustration of your shield. Its from Frederic Cauilliaud's "Voyage to Meroe...", Vol. 2, p.64. The text, in French, likely provides location details.

Best,
Ed

Very interesting Ed, thanks for posting. This form of shield must have been unchanged for some time. The one you have shown seems to have some sort of decoration to the leather ?

Regards, Colin