1874 catalogue entry:
79. Narrow WICKER SHIELD, of Ysabel Island, one end being somewhat
larger than the other.
The use of wicker work for shields was common in many countries,
being a light and suitable material for the purpose. The Assyrians
are represented using a small oblong shield, and also a larger
one, apparently of wicker work. The shields used by the Homeric
heroes were sometimes of osiers, twisted together, covered with
ox-hides, and called itea; [modern Greek itia, a type of tree] or of wood. (Smith, Dict. of Greek and Roman
antiquities.) The Musgu of Central Africa carry a wicker shield.
The negroes of the Gold Coast, according to Bosman, carried a
wicker shield. The Marghi are spoken of by Barth as carrying a
large shield of reeds, called Chaggo by the Marghi, and Kutufani by the Kanuri, big enough for the protection of two or three
persons. The Tartars, at the attack of Kief, in 1239, carried
bucklers of twisted willow branches. The Chinese and the Turks
used wicker shields. One of the chief advantages of this material
is, that the lance of the enemy, especially if barbed, by piercing
the shield, becomes entangled in the wicker work and is thus rendered
useless to its owner.
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Pitt Rivers Museum record:
| General Description: Solomon Islands wicker shield |
| Accession number: 1884.140.8 |
| Continent: Oceania Melanesia Country: Solomon Islands Region: Santa Isabel |
| Dimensions: L = 800 mm W [at handle] = 235 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 33 Shield, wicker, Ysabel Is (79) Delivery Catalogue II entry - Shields etc. Wicker shield, Ysabel Island 79 Added Accession Book VI entry - Shield of wicker. Ysabel Island PR 79. Found un-entered when numbering shields in store [AP] Printed label stuck on object - 33 Printed label stuck on object - 79 Remains of old printed label - Wicker shield Ysabel Island Solomon Ids. PR Coll 79 [C in blue pencil has been added] Remains of old printed label - Wicker shield Ysabel Island One of the Solomon Isles. Written on object - 79 Other information - Displayed in Bethnal Green and South Kensington Museums (V&A). Note that there were no original accession book or card catalogue entries, for whatever reason this object was not listed in the original accession book exercise in the 1920s. The handle is made from plant fibres and is set horizontally. The shield is decorated with black pigment on the front and back in the same way. The handle is small and flimsy for the size and weight of the shield. The sides of the shield are parallel, one end is not wider than the other. PR number: 79 |