How to read the information in a record
Parrying shields of double antelopes' horns, India
Long narrow shields from the Asiatic Isles
Back to the beginning of 'current information'
More about African shields generally
1874 catalogue entry:
65. KAFFIR SHIELD of hide, with parrying stick at back. East Africa.
Compare this form with that of No. 56 from Australia. In each
case the projection at the end serves to catch the darts of the
assailant and turn them aside by a twist of the hand. A similar
stick also projecting beyond the ends is used at the back of the
leather shield of the negroes of Soudan, and Speke represents
a similar projection at the ends of the long narrow shields of
the Kidi men on a visit to King Kamrasi (page 567 of his work).
A shield of similar form of crocodile's skin with a projecting
stick from the White Nile is in the Christy Collection, and another
of giraffe's skin, shaped like an inverted Norman arch, but with
a similar stick from Kordofan is in the same collection. On the
sides of the Kaffir shield there is sometimes a slight indentation,
the object of which is doubtful, and is probably retained through
fashion; it extends throughout many parts of Africa and is of
different sizes. A similar notch is seen in the Nubian shield,
No. 95.
| Front |  |
Back |  |
Pitt Rivers Museum record:
| General Description: Nguni hide shield with rib stick handle. |
| Accession number: 1884.30.35 |
| Continent: Africa Country: South Africa Group: Nguni |
| Dimensions: L = 925 mm, W = 380 mm |
| When collected: ?Prior to 1874 |
| Other owners: Pitt Rivers sent this object to Bethnal Green Museum for display by ?early 1874. |
| Notes: Black book entry - Screen 2 22 Shield of hide with parrying stick, E Africa (65) Added Black book entry - Kafir ?South Africa Delivery Catalogue II entry - Shields from different localities. Hide shield with parrying stick, Kaffir 65 Accession Book IV entry - ?Cowhide shield of wide lenticular shape, with central rib of stick projecting as a parrying stick on top. Kafir [sic], S Africa [Drawing] Card Catalogue entry - ALF 65. South Africa, Kaffir [crossed out and Nguni added later]. 65 = 22 black. ?Cowhide shield of wide lenticular shape with central rib of stick projecting as a parrying stick on the top. Original Pitt Rivers collection. Old Pitt Rivers Museum label - Cow hide shield, Kaffir S Africa PR 65 Old General Pitt Rivers Label - 22 Old General Pitt Rivers Label - Kaffir shield of hide, with parrying stick at back, East Africa [sic] Other information - Displayed in Bethnal Green and South Kensington Museums (V&A). Note that some sources say East Africa and some South Africa. However, Kaffir [sic - Nguni] would suggest that South Africa is more right than East Africa. The hair on the front of the shield is mainly black with the interlaced leather strips being mainly white. The top of the stick is wound round with a loose leather strip. About half way down the shield, to one side of the stick seems to be a leather strip handle set longitudinally. One end of the stick projects further from the shield than the other. PR number: 65 |