Shield

This shield was given to the Museum by Emslie Horniman, Frederick Horniman’s son, in 1913. It comes from the Trobriand Islands, an archipelago east of Papua New Guinea in the Solomon Sea. Only the greatest warriors in Trobriand society had decorated shields. The painted design on the shield advertised the social status and bravery of its owner. Each district had a war magician, who would charRead morem a shield with incantations. Ordinary shields were either painted black or white. Painting a shield was a challenge to the enemy and splitting the shield or killing the owner was considered a great honour. The Trobrianders made their shields from acacia wood with the designs painted in black, white and red. The shields are thick, but could still split from a spear attack. The shield would cover a man’s body, leaving his legs exposed. One of the important accomplishments of a successful fighter was the ability to jump to protect his legs. By the time anthropologists began studying the Trobriand Islands, the colonial government had eliminated warfare among the inhabitants. The shields were no longer being made or used. Throughout the twentieth century, anthropologists have suggested theories on the design. Trobriand shields all use an abstract design of a human body. One interpretation is that it represents a man and woman in intercourse, insulting the enemy. Another theory suggests this is a flying witch from Trobriand mythology, intended to frighten the enemy. Explanations of shield designs remain hypothetical, as these objects are no longer made and were poorly documented in the past.