Aboriginal artists formerly devoted much of their energies to the creation and adornment of weapons, such as shields, boomerangs, spear throwers, and clubs. Many served equally in warfare and in hunting game such as kangaroos or emus. Shields, however, were used almost exclusively in combat, although some ceremonial forms served as dance accessories. Fighting shields occur in two basic types, each designed for a specific purpose. The first comprised relatively flat, broad shields used to protect the bearer from projectile weapons, such as spears, throwing clubs, and boomerangs thrown by the enemy. The second type was a narrower, more compact parrying shield, used to ward off blows from fighting clubs and other hand-held weapons during close combat. The designs of Aboriginal weapons are typically geometric, although figurative images appear on some examples. Some designs may have been purely decorative. However, many likely symbolized aspects of Dreaming (the beings, sites, and events of the primordial creation period) or marked the owner’s identity or group affiliation.
