Hi Maurice, thanks for the pics! Indeed there the shields are just that size that you automatically are leaning on it in rest position.The construction is also quite fragile seen to the remains of the pin construction.On the other way are repairs on tribal shields certainly not uncommon ( see bontoc shields for example) so I can't believe that a Bagobo never repaired such a piece when it broke off. On the other way I read somewhere that these shield where also where fastened on the wall and on bamboo prayer stands as gifts of appeasement.Once given these gifts became permanent possesions of the deities and could never be removed from the altar. I don't have seen pics about that so I don't know if it this could be a reason for the loss of all those upperparts?
source ; Shields from the collections of the Barbier-Mueller Museum
Arjan.
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