While driving on a delivery run, I think I have figured out how these types of shields are made. They are turned on what is known in the ceramics industry as a Jig and Jolly. This is rather like a potters wheel powered by kicking a large heavy stone or wood flywheel. The piece of semi hard hide, presumably soaked and lubricated, is slapped down on to a basic form, then the jig arm is brought down onto the hide holding in the center hence the indentation. The Jig arm may also hold the Jolly, a profile to shape the hide like the back of a plate or bowl as in ceramics, or may have been Jollied using hand held tools. This type of village industry production could have happened anywhere that wheel made pottery was produced. One reason you do not find this type of shield from much of Africa. Tim
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