Shield (Peurise tuju bintang, "seven star shield")
Sumatran peoples crafted shields for war and for ritual dance from a variety of local materials, including coiled and woven cane, as seen in the two shields here (acc. nos. 36.25.602, .620). Their surfaces feature geometric decorations that incporporate star-shaped brass mounts. Common to shields from Suamtra, the motif is thought to represent the seven stars of Ursa Major, also known as the Big Dipper.
Artwork Details
- Title: Shield (Peurise tuju bintang, "seven star shield")
- Date: 19th century
- Geography: Sumatra
- Culture: Sumatran, Sultanate of Aceh
- Medium: Cane, textile, brass, iron
- Dimensions: Diam. 12 in. (30.5 cm); D. 2 3/4 in. (7 cm); Wt. 2 lb. 2.3 oz. (972 g)
- Classification: Shields
- Credit Line: Bequest of George C. Stone, 1935
- Object Number: 36.25.602
- Curatorial Department: Arms and Armor
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Sumatran, Sultanate of Aceh
19th century
Tibetan
possibly 14th–16th century
Khooshal Dhunjee & Sons
ca. 1875
Indian, Sindh (now Pakistan)
late 18th–first half of the 19th century
Mongolian or Tibetan
12th–14th century
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