archeologie boz schild

This shield, the front of which is shown here, dates back around 1,300 years and was discovered in a sealed portion of an ancient temple at the site of Pañamarca in Peru. Made by a people we call the Moche it’s about 10 inches (25 centimeters) in size. The front has red and brown textiles along with about a dozen yellow feathers which appear to be from the body of the Macaw bird. Originally it may have had more than 100 feathers arranged to two or more concentric circles. The back of the shield has basketry weaving and a handle. The shield would have had a ritualistic purpose and would not have been used for actual combat. Photo courtesy of Lisa Trever, University of California, Berkeley