Wandsworth Shield

The Wandsworth Shield is an ancient Ceremonial from England.

Description

The Wandsworth Shield consists of a copper alloy. He was found about 1849 as part of a hoard in the Thames near Wandsworth in England. Besides this sign an incomplete shield boss, a sword and an ax in the same place were found. In the same year it was handed over by William the English Royal Archeological Institute in London. The shield is round and has a diameter of 33 cm. The outside is decorated with leaf and tendrils shaped ornaments. The subject is, with slight variations, in duplicate and each takes up half the plate. Top right and bottom left is a design drafted the a stylized bird's head is similar. In the center a shield boss Celtic form is attached, which is surrounded by a circular, raised carved driven burr. On the outside of rivet holes are attached, which were intended for a marginal gain. In order to shield boss around four holes are present, which served for the attachment of the handle. The thickness of the metal ranges from 1.3 mm at the center of the plate and 0.6 mm at the edge of the shield. The shield boss has a thickness of 0.75 mm. The professor of European archeology at Oxford University, Barry Cunliffe, describes the shield in his book "Iron Age communities in Britain: an account of England, Scotland and Wales from the seventh century BC until the Roman conquest " as one of the masterpieces of Celtic art. He is now kept in the British Museum in London.