NOW THAT YOU MENTION IT I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL SHIELDS THAT HAD NO HANDLE AT ALL. I REMBER SEEING A FILM OF A BATTLE IN NEW GUINEA. THE TWO TRIBES APROACHED EACH OTHER AND PROPED UP THEIR SHIELDS AND HID BEHIND THEM AND JUMPED OUT TO THROW SPEARS OR SHOOT ARROWS AT EACH OTHER. THEY CARRIED A LOT OF ARROWS. WHEN SOMEONE WAS FINALLY KILLED THE TRIBE LOSING THE MAN WITHDREW AND THE WINNING TRIBE GOT TO KEEP ALL THE WEAPONS ON THE FIELD AS WELL AS THE FALLEN WARRIOR FOR A CELEBRATORY DINNER. I DON'T REMEMBER WHICH TRIBES WERE INVOLVED.
THERE IS MORE INFORMATION ON THE TRIBES FROM NEW GUINEA AS THEY HAVE EMERGED FROM THE STONE AGE RELATIVY RECENTLY. SOME ARE STILL VERY MUCH UNCHANGED TODAY AND SOME ARE VERY MODERN ITS A COUNTRY OF MANY CONTRASTS.
THERE IS A WIDE VARIETY OF SHIELDS IN THE AREA AS WELL AS MANY DIFFERENT DESIGNS. THE NEWER AZMAT SHIELDS MADE FOR SALE AS TRIBAL ART USUALLY HAVE LESS CARVED DESIGNS AND MOSTLY PAINTED DESIGNS.
UNFORTUNATELY I AM NO EXPERT AND THESE ARE JUST OBSERVATIONS I HAVE MADE OVER THE YEARS.
