AUSTRALIAN SHIELDS

VANDOO · 12th June 2013, 05:26 PM

HERE ARE SOME FORMS FROM WESTERN TO CENTRAL AUSTRALIA. THEY USUALLY RANGE AROUND 89 CM. LONG, SOME WITH PIGMENT AND SOME WITH NONE. THE PICTURE OF THE ABORIGINALS IS FROM THE GREY RIVER AREA. THE FIRST TWO PICTURES ARE FRONT AND BACK OF A SHIELD FROM THE LAGRANGE AREA. THE SMALL LAST PICTURE IS OF A NEWER ONE I AM NOT SURE OF THE LOCATION.

VANDOO · 12th June 2013, 06:23 PM

TWO EXAMPLES OF A LATER FORM OF DECORATION REFERED TO AS POKER WORK MADE BY USING A HOT PIECE OF METAL TO WOOD BURN IN DESIGNS. THE SMALLER ROUND SHIELD (3 PICTURES DETAIL OF EMU) IS FROM 1900'S AROUND THE LA PEROUSE MISSION. ORIGIN OF THE OTHER ONE UNKNOWN.
PICTURE 6 SHIELD FROM SOUTH EAST AUST. 7. AND 8 PAPUNYA SHIELD NORTHERN TERRITORY WESTERN DESERT, FRONT AND BACK. 9. CAPE YORK SHIELD FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND, 10. QUEENSLAND RAINFOREST BATTLE QUEENSLAND 11. NEW TOURIST ITEMS PAIRS OF NULLA NULLA AND SHIELDS. 12. CLUB AND SHIELD QUEENSLAND.

THIS INFORMATION IS VERY RUDIMENTARY AND PERHAPS NOT ALL CORRECT BUT IS INTENDED TO GIVE SOME IDEA OF THE RANGE OF SHIELDS IN AUSTRALIA VIA PICTURES WITH LITTLE INFORMATION. I HAVE GONE AS FAR AS I CAN. THIS COULD FORM A BASIS FOR THOSE WITH MORE KNOWLEGE TO MAKE IT INTO A GOOD REFRENCE SOURCE IF THEY SO CHOOSE. OTHERWISE ENJOY THE PICTURES.

fearn · 13th June 2013, 04:33 AM

I'm puzzled about those queensland sword clubs (#12). They are so big, but I'm trying to figure out how a warrior would wield one. I calculated out the weight of one, and it was in the range of 1.6 kg (3.5 lb). Swords are usually in the 2-3 pound range. Trying to imagine swinging that big a board around by a tiny little handle is somewhere between awe-inspiring and nuts.

VANDOO · 14th June 2013, 01:52 PM

I HAVE ONE OF THESE AND YOU ARE RIGHT, LEARNING HOW TO USE ONE OF THESE AWKWARD CLUBS WITH ANY SKILL WOULD BE DIFFICULT. I CAN'T IMAGINE SUCH A CLUB DOING MUCH DAMMAGE PERHAPS A BLEEDING SCALP WOUND OR A HURT SHIN OR WHACKED RUMP BUT NOTHING FATAL.
THE CLUB MAY BE DESIGNED FOR THE PURPOSE OF WOUNDING IN A FRIENDLY NON FATAL CONFLICT. MANY OF THE ABORIGINAL GROUPS WERE RELATED BUT SEPARATE SO WHEN DISAGREMENTS OR MINOR CONFLICTS OCCURED PERHAPS THEY SETTLED IT USING THESE CLUBS AND SHIELDS. IN MORE SERIOUS CONFLICTS SPEARS AND OTHER MORE DANGEROUS CLUBS MAY HAVE BEEN USED. I HAVE NO KNOWLEGE OF THESE SO THIS IS JUST LOGICAL GUESSING ON MY PART. THEY ARE BIG AND IMPRESSIVE AND FUNNY AT THE SAME TIME. I CAN IMAGINE A WARRIOR WAVEING ONE AROUND AND SAYING MINE IS BIGGER THAN YOURS AND NOW YOU ARE GOING TO GET A WHIPPIN!

12th June 2013, 06:23 PM	#2
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	TWO EXAMPLES OF A LATER FORM OF DECORATION REFERED TO AS POKER WORK MADE BY USING A HOT PIECE OF METAL TO WOOD BURN IN DESIGNS. THE SMALLER ROUND SHIELD (3 PICTURES DETAIL OF EMU) IS FROM 1900'S AROUND THE LA PEROUSE MISSION. ORIGIN OF THE OTHER ONE UNKNOWN. PICTURE 6 SHIELD FROM SOUTH EAST AUST. 7. AND 8 PAPUNYA SHIELD NORTHERN TERRITORY WESTERN DESERT, FRONT AND BACK. 9. CAPE YORK SHIELD FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND, 10. QUEENSLAND RAINFOREST BATTLE QUEENSLAND 11. NEW TOURIST ITEMS PAIRS OF NULLA NULLA AND SHIELDS. 12. CLUB AND SHIELD QUEENSLAND. THIS INFORMATION IS VERY RUDIMENTARY AND PERHAPS NOT ALL CORRECT BUT IS INTENDED TO GIVE SOME IDEA OF THE RANGE OF SHIELDS IN AUSTRALIA VIA PICTURES WITH LITTLE INFORMATION. I HAVE GONE AS FAR AS I CAN. THIS COULD FORM A BASIS FOR THOSE WITH MORE KNOWLEGE TO MAKE IT INTO A GOOD REFRENCE SOURCE IF THEY SO CHOOSE. OTHERWISE ENJOY THE PICTURES. Attached Images Last edited by VANDOO; 12th June 2013 at 06:37 PM.

12th June 2013, 05:26 PM	#1
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	HERE ARE SOME FORMS FROM WESTERN TO CENTRAL AUSTRALIA. THEY USUALLY RANGE AROUND 89 CM. LONG, SOME WITH PIGMENT AND SOME WITH NONE. THE PICTURE OF THE ABORIGINALS IS FROM THE GREY RIVER AREA. THE FIRST TWO PICTURES ARE FRONT AND BACK OF A SHIELD FROM THE LAGRANGE AREA. THE SMALL LAST PICTURE IS OF A NEWER ONE I AM NOT SURE OF THE LOCATION. Attached Images Last edited by VANDOO; 12th June 2013 at 06:00 PM.

13th June 2013, 04:33 AM	#3
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	I'm puzzled about those queensland sword clubs (#12). They are so big, but I'm trying to figure out how a warrior would wield one. I calculated out the weight of one, and it was in the range of 1.6 kg (3.5 lb). Swords are usually in the 2-3 pound range. Trying to imagine swinging that big a board around by a tiny little handle is somewhere between awe-inspiring and nuts.

14th June 2013, 01:52 PM	#4
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	I HAVE ONE OF THESE AND YOU ARE RIGHT, LEARNING HOW TO USE ONE OF THESE AWKWARD CLUBS WITH ANY SKILL WOULD BE DIFFICULT. I CAN'T IMAGINE SUCH A CLUB DOING MUCH DAMMAGE PERHAPS A BLEEDING SCALP WOUND OR A HURT SHIN OR WHACKED RUMP BUT NOTHING FATAL. THE CLUB MAY BE DESIGNED FOR THE PURPOSE OF WOUNDING IN A FRIENDLY NON FATAL CONFLICT. MANY OF THE ABORIGINAL GROUPS WERE RELATED BUT SEPARATE SO WHEN DISAGREMENTS OR MINOR CONFLICTS OCCURED PERHAPS THEY SETTLED IT USING THESE CLUBS AND SHIELDS. IN MORE SERIOUS CONFLICTS SPEARS AND OTHER MORE DANGEROUS CLUBS MAY HAVE BEEN USED. I HAVE NO KNOWLEGE OF THESE SO THIS IS JUST LOGICAL GUESSING ON MY PART. THEY ARE BIG AND IMPRESSIVE AND FUNNY AT THE SAME TIME. I CAN IMAGINE A WARRIOR WAVEING ONE AROUND AND SAYING MINE IS BIGGER THAN YOURS AND NOW YOU ARE GOING TO GET A WHIPPIN!