Art Resource - ART346726

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Hide shield (ayar). Tuareg, early 20th CE. From the western Sahara, Africa. Tuareg weaponry includes a large white leather shield, ayar, a lance, a sword and an arm dagger. The shields were made by specialists from the skin of a gazelle-like animal called a lamt, found only in this region. The skin is tanned with milk and the shell of ostrich eggs for a year. It is believed that this makes the shield impermeable to iron. The star-shaped central motif, formed by thousands of tiny incised marks, may be an invocation in the Tuareg script, tifinar. Together with the 'hot' metal studs of brass and copper and pieces of red cloth, this invocation empowers the shield to defend its owner against the evil eye and the 'cold' iron weapons of his enemies. H. 114 cm. Inv. ET Af1990.11.1.

Location British Museum/London/Great Britain

Unique Identifier ART346726

Type Image

Purpose Public

Size 1983px × 2982px

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