250216 - Large African Ethiopian Ras shield with Ethiopian silver decorations - Ethiopia
Antique Ethiopian Warrior shield with Ethiopian silver decorations.
Diameter: 47 cm.
This item was dated end of the 19th century and comes with a certificate of authenticity.
This Antique shield is made of leather. The front is richly decorated with low Ethiopian silver elements.
The back is stitched by the metal decorations on the front. It has a well-functioning leather handle.
Ethiopian shields come in different designs and decorations (beads, silver strips, etc.). They are made of different materials, including wood, metal, vegetable fibers (rattan or raffia).
The visual effect, functionality and practical purposes of the piece dictated the form that a shield had to take. A good shield must offer maximum protection. The material used must be strong and durable. Almost all peoples of Africa made use of the shield. In many cultures, shields like this were known as a defensive weapon, used by warriors during battles. Shields were also displayed as symbols of status or rank and also as accessories of dance during festivals or commemorative ceremonies or after a victory.
See a similar example in the Musee Dapper's CHASSEURS ET GUERRIERS; AFRICA: The Art of a Continent, edited by Tom Phillips, (see p. 126 in the above-mentioned volume and also p. 69 in African Shields by Dieter Plaschke and Manfred A. Zirngibl,) see also Marc Ginzberg. AFRICAN FORMS, pp. 168, 171