Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Tim Simmons · 8th March 2006, 08:35 PM

The piece in the center is just a plug of lacquer, I have looked more carefully with a loop. In the artificial light yesterday evening it looked like metal. Are these shields spun like metal over a form, then left to dry? The moist hide could be spun on a lathe rather like a bodgers lathe. There are concentric marks as well the heavy ones near the center.
I have often been puzzled by these concentric marks and lines on some African round shields. The lines being most regular as to suggest spinning but I just thought no.
With a lathe powered by a springy tree limb spinning hide onto a form would make sense. The indentation at the center of the Indian shield may have come about from some kind tail stock or brace to hold the hide to the form while being spun. look at this E African/Yemen shied it is a little distorted but those circular elements are not made free hand. Tim

8th March 2006, 08:35 PM	#3
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,745	The piece in the center is just a plug of lacquer, I have looked more carefully with a loop. In the artificial light yesterday evening it looked like metal. Are these shields spun like metal over a form, then left to dry? The moist hide could be spun on a lathe rather like a bodgers lathe. There are concentric marks as well the heavy ones near the center. I have often been puzzled by these concentric marks and lines on some African round shields. The lines being most regular as to suggest spinning but I just thought no. With a lathe powered by a springy tree limb spinning hide onto a form would make sense. The indentation at the center of the Indian shield may have come about from some kind tail stock or brace to hold the hide to the form while being spun. look at this E African/Yemen shied it is a little distorted but those circular elements are not made free hand. Tim Attached Images Last edited by Tim Simmons; 8th March 2006 at 08:48 PM.