Indian Dhal for close inspection

Tim Simmons · 7th March 2006, 06:15 PM

I am posting these pictures because if like me you are unfamiliar with Indian shields they might be helpful. In some publications you can see pictures of the very same shields with the same colour and also concentric circles at the center. These publications can leave you with the impression that this is how they were originally. The pictures give you a good close up look. The yellow colour is some kind base for lacquer, small traces of the dark brown lacquer remain. In the center of the concentric circles is a small steel disc about 5mm in diameter set into the leather not passing through so I do not think it was a boss? The leather is just over 10mm thick. There is a tiny fragment of a cloth lining. There does not appear to have been a knuckle pad as there seems no fixings unless fixed in a different manner to the pad shown and has since rotted away, however it can be gripped quite comfortably by the well wrapped grips. It looks quite old, I only bought it for the bronze bosses. All comments appreciated. Tim

Tim Simmons · 7th March 2006, 09:55 PM

The tiny piece of metal in the center is also bronze, it is formed like a short fat carpet tack, it has just popped out while I was brushing the shield with some light wax. As it was originally glued in I have done the same and no one would be the wiser except you. Tim

Tim Simmons · 8th March 2006, 09:35 PM

The piece in the center is just a plug of lacquer, I have looked more carefully with a loop. In the artificial light yesterday evening it looked like metal. Are these shields spun like metal over a form, then left to dry? The moist hide could be spun on a lathe rather like a bodgers lathe. There are concentric marks as well the heavy ones near the center.
I have often been puzzled by these concentric marks and lines on some African round shields. The lines being most regular as to suggest spinning but I just thought no.
With a lathe powered by a springy tree limb spinning hide onto a form would make sense. The indentation at the center of the Indian shield may have come about from some kind tail stock or brace to hold the hide to the form while being spun. look at this E African/Yemen shied it is a little distorted but those circular elements are not made free hand. Tim

Tim Simmons · 8th March 2006, 10:03 PM

I have just realised that the E African/Yemen shield also has an indentation in the center. I think the hide was spun onto a form while in a semi hard state. I am not saying all round shieds are made this way. Tim

Tim Simmons · 9th March 2006, 03:37 PM

While driving on a delivery run, I think I have figured out how these types of shields are made. They are turned on what is known in the ceramics industry as a Jig and Jolly. This is rather like a potters wheel powered by kicking a large heavy stone or wood flywheel. The piece of semi hard hide, presumably soaked and lubricated, is slapped down on to a basic form, then the jig arm is brought down onto the hide holding in the center hence the indentation. The Jig arm may also hold the Jolly, a profile to shape the hide like the back of a plate or bowl as in ceramics, or may have been Jollied using hand held tools. This type of village industry production could have happened anywhere that wheel made pottery was produced. One reason you do not find this type of shield from much of Africa. Tim

Andy Davis · 9th March 2006, 08:43 PM

Hi Tim
Seems that mass production was used, by whatever means as it seems I have your shields twin. Well almost, mines a bit distorted and it appears at one time that it may have been cloth coverd, as pieces remain under the four bosses.
Cheers
Andy

Tim Simmons · 9th March 2006, 09:03 PM

Hello Andy,
Mine has remnants of cloth under the bosses, what I thought was lacquer I now think is a gum paste like gum Arabic. It is interesting to see that yours has a pad but quite different grips. I see no reason for a pad to just disappear and the fact that mine has shorter padded grips to hold, I do not think anything is missing. I would not be surprised if a whole village just made shields, maybe buying in the bosses. It is quite probable that many villages did this and may explain the variety of basically the same thing. Your post has been most helpful thanks. Tim.

Tim Simmons · 10th March 2006, 07:56 PM

Talking about wheel production, me in another life, I do not know what I was on thinking life was possible as a peasant in mid 80s Britain

7th March 2006, 06:15 PM	#1
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	Indian Dhal for close inspection I am posting these pictures because if like me you are unfamiliar with Indian shields they might be helpful. In some publications you can see pictures of the very same shields with the same colour and also concentric circles at the center. These publications can leave you with the impression that this is how they were originally. The pictures give you a good close up look. The yellow colour is some kind base for lacquer, small traces of the dark brown lacquer remain. In the center of the concentric circles is a small steel disc about 5mm in diameter set into the leather not passing through so I do not think it was a boss? The leather is just over 10mm thick. There is a tiny fragment of a cloth lining. There does not appear to have been a knuckle pad as there seems no fixings unless fixed in a different manner to the pad shown and has since rotted away, however it can be gripped quite comfortably by the well wrapped grips. It looks quite old, I only bought it for the bronze bosses. All comments appreciated. Tim Last edited by Tim Simmons; 7th March 2006 at 06:43 PM.

8th March 2006, 09:35 PM	#3
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	The piece in the center is just a plug of lacquer, I have looked more carefully with a loop. In the artificial light yesterday evening it looked like metal. Are these shields spun like metal over a form, then left to dry? The moist hide could be spun on a lathe rather like a bodgers lathe. There are concentric marks as well the heavy ones near the center. I have often been puzzled by these concentric marks and lines on some African round shields. The lines being most regular as to suggest spinning but I just thought no. With a lathe powered by a springy tree limb spinning hide onto a form would make sense. The indentation at the center of the Indian shield may have come about from some kind tail stock or brace to hold the hide to the form while being spun. look at this E African/Yemen shied it is a little distorted but those circular elements are not made free hand. Tim Attached Images Last edited by Tim Simmons; 8th March 2006 at 09:48 PM.

9th March 2006, 08:43 PM	#6
Andy Davis Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: England, Northumberland Posts: 85	I have its sister Hi Tim Seems that mass production was used, by whatever means as it seems I have your shields twin. Well almost, mines a bit distorted and it appears at one time that it may have been cloth coverd, as pieces remain under the four bosses. Cheers Andy Attached Images

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7th March 2006, 09:55 PM	#2
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	The tiny piece of metal in the center is also bronze, it is formed like a short fat carpet tack, it has just popped out while I was brushing the shield with some light wax. As it was originally glued in I have done the same and no one would be the wiser except you. Tim

8th March 2006, 10:03 PM	#4
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	I have just realised that the E African/Yemen shield also has an indentation in the center. I think the hide was spun onto a form while in a semi hard state. I am not saying all round shieds are made this way. Tim

9th March 2006, 03:37 PM	#5
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	While driving on a delivery run, I think I have figured out how these types of shields are made. They are turned on what is known in the ceramics industry as a Jig and Jolly. This is rather like a potters wheel powered by kicking a large heavy stone or wood flywheel. The piece of semi hard hide, presumably soaked and lubricated, is slapped down on to a basic form, then the jig arm is brought down onto the hide holding in the center hence the indentation. The Jig arm may also hold the Jolly, a profile to shape the hide like the back of a plate or bowl as in ceramics, or may have been Jollied using hand held tools. This type of village industry production could have happened anywhere that wheel made pottery was produced. One reason you do not find this type of shield from much of Africa. Tim

9th March 2006, 09:03 PM	#7
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	Hello Andy, Mine has remnants of cloth under the bosses, what I thought was lacquer I now think is a gum paste like gum Arabic. It is interesting to see that yours has a pad but quite different grips. I see no reason for a pad to just disappear and the fact that mine has shorter padded grips to hold, I do not think anything is missing. I would not be surprised if a whole village just made shields, maybe buying in the bosses. It is quite probable that many villages did this and may explain the variety of basically the same thing. Your post has been most helpful thanks. Tim.

10th March 2006, 07:56 PM	#8
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	Talking about wheel production, me in another life, I do not know what I was on thinking life was possible as a peasant in mid 80s Britain