Shield

ClassificationsArms and Armor-shields

Culturepossibly Toposa

Culturepossibly Turkana

Date20th Century

Made AtSouth Sudan, Africa

Made AtKenya, Africa

MediumLeather and wood

Dimensions15 3/4 × 9 1/2 × 5 in. (40 × 24.1 × 12.7 cm)

Credit LineAnonymous Gift

Object number2017.10.162

DescriptionThe Toposa of southeastern South Sudan and neighboring Turkana of northern Kenya both relied primarily on these roughly rectangular shields. Neither Nilotic group particularly found prestige in warfare, but they still maintained active militaries should any of the usual motivations for war boil over. There is some question as to which groups exactly manufactured these shields and which ones traded for them, but the ability of Turkana craftsmen in creating other weapons explains why exactly these have commonly been attributed to them. The warping on these shields—which almost appears as if the shields have shrunk on the finest examples—is very much intentional. The Turkana also made iron shields in the exact same shape.

On View

Not on view

Collections