Maker Unknown

Tournament Shield

Date: 1848

Place Made: Persia

Materials & Techniques: Rhino or buffalo hide, silver foil, paint, silver and enamelled mounts.

Dimensions: Diameter 47.5cm

Accession Number: The Wallace Collection, OA 1923

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This shield was made 150 years ago in Persia, now called Iran. It is a tournament shield, used for parades and other special occasions. It was not used in battle.

The shield is made from rhino or buffalo hide.The word ‘hide’ means animal skin. The hide has been stretched to make it firm. This also makes it stronger. It was then painted with scenes of men riding horses and hunting animals. Which animals can you see?

The hunting scene goes around the shield and this is called a frieze. On the outside edge of the frieze is a silver border. The four silver circles at the centre of the shield are bolts to attach the strap to the back. They have enamelled decoration on top which has been painted on and then heated at very high temperatures to make it hard.

Teachers' Information

Activities

1. This shield was used for tournament rather than battle. You could talk with the children about why hide may have been chosen rather than metal. Consider the differences between a tournament shield and a battle shield, such as the materials they are made from, what each looks like, how they are decorated and what they are decorated with, what they feel like and how heavy each is.

2. You could think about the different uses of animal skin through different periods of history.Consider early man’s use of fur and hide and then look at the products that we use today that are made from animal skin. You could cut pictures out from magazines and ask the children to identify which products are made from animal skin or fur. You could include shoes made from leather and another pair made from plastic. Ask the children to think about other materials that are used as substitutes for animal skin.