Shield
This article is about the defensive device. For other meanings of the word see shield (disambiguation) |
Statue showing a Gallic shield with a butterfly boss. |
A
shield is a protective device, meant to intercept attacks. The term often refers to a device that is held in the hand, as opposed to
armour or a
bullet proof vest.
The oldest form of shield was a protection used to block attacks by
hand weapons and
missiles. Shields have varied greatly in construction over time and place. Sometimes shields were made of metal, but
wood or
animal hide construction was much more common;
wicker and even turtle shells have been used. Many surviving examples of metal shields are generally felt to be ceremonial rather than practical, for example the
Yetholm-type shields of the bronze age or the iron age
Battersea shield.
Size and weight varied greatly, lightly armoured warriors relying on speed and surprise would generally carry light shields that were either small or thin. Heavy troops might be equipped with large heavy shields that could protect most of the body. Many had a strap called a guige that allowed it to be slung over the user's back when not in use or on horseback. Ancient Greek
hoplites used a round, bowl-shaped wooden shield called an
aspis. Free standing shields called
pavises were used by medieval
crossbowmen who needed protection while reloading.
The heavily armoured
Roman legionaries carried large rectangular shields (
scuta) that could provide far more protection, but made swift movement more difficult. Famously the Romans used their shields to create a tortoise-like formation called a
testudo in which entire groups of soldiers would be enclosed in an armoured box.
Many ancient shield designs featured incuts of one sort of another. This was done to accommodate the shaft of a spear thus facilitating tactics requiring the soldiers to stand close together forming a
wall of shields.
In the early
European
Middle Ages there were so-called kite shields; these were rounded at the top and tapered at the bottom. They were easily used on horseback and allowed easier leg movement when dismounted. As personal body armour improved,
knight's shields became smaller, leading to the familiar "heater" style. Both kite and heater style shields were made of several layers of laminated wood, with a gentle curve in cross section. The heater style inspired the shape of the
heraldic shield that is still used today. Eventually, specialised shapes were developed such as the
bouche — which had a lance rest cut into the upper corner of the lance side, to help guide it in combat or tournament.
In time, some armoured foot knights gave up shields entirely in favour of mobility and two-handed weapons. Other knights and common soldiers adopted the
buckler. The buckler is a small round shield, typically between 8 and 16 inches in diameter. The buckler was one of very few types of shield that was commonly made of metal. Small and light, the buckler was easily carried by being hung from a belt; it gave little protection from missiles and was reserved for hand-to-hand combat. The buckler continued in use well into the
16th century. The height of the shield's evolution was the
15th century Germanic or Gothic design. In length it measured from shoulder to knee, it was broad in the middle and tapering towards top and bottom. Thus it was lighter than the tower shield and hence easier for the bearer to wield a weapon without sacrificing protection.
Shields continued in use even after
gunpowder powered weapons made them nearly obsolete in the battlefield. In the
18th century, the
Scottish clans used a small, heavy, round shield called a
targe that was partially effective against the firearms of the time.
In the
19th century, non-industrial cultures with little access to guns were still using shields.
Zulu warriors carried large lightweight shields made from a single ox hide supported by a wooden spine, these were called Ishlangu. [
1] This was used in combination with a short spear (
assegai) and/or
club.
Shields for protection from armed attack are still used by many
police forces around the world. These modern shields are usually intended for two broadly distinct purposes.
The first type are used for
riot control and can be made from metal or synthetics, such as
Lexan or
Mylar. These typically offer protection from relatively large and low velocity projectiles, such as rocks and bottles as well as blows from fists or clubs. Synthetic
riot shields are normally transparent, allowing full use of the shield without obstructing vision. Metal riot shields often have a small window at eye level for this purpose.
The second type of modern police shield is typically manufactured from advanced synthetics such as
kevlar and are designed to be
bulletproof, or at least bullet resistant. These are typically employed by specialist police, such as
SWAT teams, in high risk entry and siege scenarios, but are also used on a daily basis in many areas of the US.
Many non-martial devices also employ shields. Space craft have
heat shields to ensure a safe re-entry.
Electronics uses shielding to reduce electrical noise and
crosstalk between signals. People and systems that must work in the presence of
ionizing radiation are protected with shielding.
Science fiction writers have imagined many futuristic shields, usually using
force fields. These include personal shields, as in the
Dune series, or larger ones for spacecraft as in
Star Trek. See
shield (science fiction) for more.
Goofy, character of Disney fame can be seen employing a shield as an offensive weapon in the game
Kingdom Hearts and its sequel
Kingdom Hearts 2, as well as
Vexen during the game
Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories with a blue arrowhead-shaped shield with sharp outer edges.
*
Notes on Ancient Shields and Highland Targets, JAMES DRUMMOND, Archaeologica Scotica Vol 5 (1890).
