War shield ·  Kenya, Masai · ID: 3032882

Description

cow or buffalo hide, oval form, the rims lined and strengthened by leather stripes, a carrying pole along the middle is tightly tied to the back, the convex curving of the shield is achieved through leather straps stretched from the middle to the top and bottom, painted on the front, min. dam., traces of abrasion and usage;
young warriors, not yet considered to be the equals of the older, were allowed just the use of black motifs on their shields. Only a man who had proven his bravery was allowed the colour red.

Comparing literature

Zirngibl, Manfred A., Plaschke, Dieter, Afrikanische Schilde, München 1992, p. 39