A MONGO SHIELD

Flavio · 22nd August 2005, 06:03 PM

Hello everybody!! This is arrived today. It's a Mongo shield, probably not so old, but anyway quite nice! Comments are welcome

Aqtai · 22nd August 2005, 06:08 PM

Beautiful shield, thanks for sharing it

.

Pardon my ignorance but who or what are the Mongo? I though that Mongo was the planet where Flash Gordon had his adventures.

Flavio · 22nd August 2005, 06:15 PM

Sure, this is true, but the Mongo are also a population located in western-center Congo, near some other groups like the Konda.

Tim Simmons · 22nd August 2005, 06:32 PM

I like that can you give some dimensions. Tim

Flavio · 22nd August 2005, 08:43 PM

Hello Tim, the shield is along 137 cm. and wide 40 cm.

Tim Simmons · 22nd August 2005, 08:47 PM

It is going to look splendid with a couple of spears. Tim

Flavio · 22nd August 2005, 11:10 PM

Yeah, it is exactly what I have in mind to do

Freddy · 29th August 2005, 10:57 AM

Nice shield, Flavio.

I also found one last week. In fact, I knew where it was for some time, but the price was too high. So, last week I was able to get it for a good price.

In the shop, I had already examined this shield a few times. It looked OK. But when I got home, I started wondering in which way the handle was fastened to the basketry part. To my surprise, I found out it was screwed to the rattan part ! ! !

! ! !
In my opinion, the handle was of bit 'off-centre'. When I look at pictures of similar shield, the handle is always in the middle.
I guess, the original handle was lost and replaced at some time by the current one.

But still...it's a very nice and old shield. Some damage at the edges, where it touched the ground. But nothing too serious.
Now, I'm planning to restore it.

Flavio, could you post a detailed picture of the handle of your shield and the way it's fastened ? It would be a great help. Could you also tell me what kind of material (rattan ?) is used to fasten the wooden handle to the basketry ?

Here are some pics of my Mongo shield. It measures 147 cm.

Often we speak of the Mongo people. This is a name given to a group of different tribes from a region in Congo, among them : the Ngandu, Saka, Tsongo, Kota, Kote, Nkole and Northern Ntomba.

Tim Simmons · 29th August 2005, 04:23 PM

I have this long bladed Massai type spear with a screw repair, it looks quite old and well done so that the screw is flush with the socket. The length of the blade puts a lot of leverage on this part of the spear. The wood had a split in it which I sealed with diluted PVA. I think it is possible that the original screw repair was made prior to being collected ?

Tim Simmons · 29th August 2005, 08:53 PM

The boys are back in town!

Flavio · 29th August 2005, 11:42 PM

Great shield Freddy! Sorry but for the moment i can't take pictures with my camera (is dead!! R.I.P

). Anyway i can tell you that the handle of my shield is quite in the middle (just lightly moved towards the top). At the moment the handle is fastened with rattan, although a little loose.

Flavio · 14th October 2005, 05:49 PM

Hello Freddy, here, at the end, are some pictures of the handle of my mongo shield. What i think is strange is the longitudinal passing hole

22nd August 2005, 06:03 PM	#1
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	A MONGO SHIELD Hello everybody!! This is arrived today. It's a Mongo shield, probably not so old, but anyway quite nice! Comments are welcome Attached Images

29th August 2005, 04:23 PM	#9
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,925	screw repair I have this long bladed Massai type spear with a screw repair, it looks quite old and well done so that the screw is flush with the socket. The length of the blade puts a lot of leverage on this part of the spear. The wood had a split in it which I sealed with diluted PVA. I think it is possible that the original screw repair was made prior to being collected ? Attached Images

14th October 2005, 05:49 PM	#12
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Hello Freddy, here, at the end, are some pictures of the handle of my mongo shield. What i think is strange is the longitudinal passing hole Attached Images

22nd August 2005, 06:08 PM	#2
Aqtai Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Merseyside, UK Posts: 222	Beautiful shield, thanks for sharing it . Pardon my ignorance but who or what are the Mongo? I though that Mongo was the planet where Flash Gordon had his adventures.

22nd August 2005, 06:15 PM	#3
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Sure, this is true, but the Mongo are also a population located in western-center Congo, near some other groups like the Konda.

22nd August 2005, 06:32 PM	#4
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,925	I like that can you give some dimensions. Tim

22nd August 2005, 08:43 PM	#5
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Hello Tim, the shield is along 137 cm. and wide 40 cm.

22nd August 2005, 08:47 PM	#6
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,925	It is going to look splendid with a couple of spears. Tim

22nd August 2005, 11:10 PM	#7
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Yeah, it is exactly what I have in mind to do

29th August 2005, 10:57 AM	#8
Freddy Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sint-Amandsberg (near Ghent, Belgium) Posts: 830	Nice shield, Flavio. I also found one last week. In fact, I knew where it was for some time, but the price was too high. So, last week I was able to get it for a good price. In the shop, I had already examined this shield a few times. It looked OK. But when I got home, I started wondering in which way the handle was fastened to the basketry part. To my surprise, I found out it was screwed to the rattan part ! ! ! ! ! ! In my opinion, the handle was of bit 'off-centre'. When I look at pictures of similar shield, the handle is always in the middle. I guess, the original handle was lost and replaced at some time by the current one. But still...it's a very nice and old shield. Some damage at the edges, where it touched the ground. But nothing too serious. Now, I'm planning to restore it. Flavio, could you post a detailed picture of the handle of your shield and the way it's fastened ? It would be a great help. Could you also tell me what kind of material (rattan ?) is used to fasten the wooden handle to the basketry ? Here are some pics of my Mongo shield. It measures 147 cm. Often we speak of the Mongo people. This is a name given to a group of different tribes from a region in Congo, among them : the Ngandu, Saka, Tsongo, Kota, Kote, Nkole and Northern Ntomba.

29th August 2005, 08:53 PM	#10
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,925	The boys are back in town!

29th August 2005, 11:42 PM	#11
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Great shield Freddy! Sorry but for the moment i can't take pictures with my camera (is dead!! R.I.P ). Anyway i can tell you that the handle of my shield is quite in the middle (just lightly moved towards the top). At the moment the handle is fastened with rattan, although a little loose.