Portion of an iron shield boss, from Orkney, Viking period, 800 - 1100 AD

Shield boss fragment from Sweindrow, Rousay, Orkney

Iron shield boss from Pierowall, Westray, Orkney, Viking period, 800 - 1100 AD

Shield boss from Reay, Caithness

Shield of hide, an upright oblong with a prominent median ridge, a fringe of red-dyed goat hair at the bottom, and a cane grip behind: Assam, Konyak Nagas

Shield of steel damascened in gold and engraved with floriated designs, inscriptions and animals in compartments: Middle East, Iran, 19th century

Shield of steel with crescent in low relief, inner border with figures of animals, and outer border of alternate arabesques and inscriptions damascened in gold: Middle East, Iran, 17th - 18th century

Shield of steel richly damascened in gold with scroll pattern in centre and alternate panels of arabesques and inscriptions round border: Middle East, Iran, 16th - 17th century

Shield of steel damascened with gold inscriptions around rim and around the lion and sun device in the centre: Middle East, Iran, 18th century

Shield of steel damascened in gold, with large triple border with small scrolls and inscriptions, and four bosses in centre: Middle East, Iran

Shield of steel damascened in gold with borders of Persian inscriptions and conventional leafy ornament: Middle East, Iran, 18th century

Ceremonial shield of woven cane plastered with vegetable gum and clay, painted, and inlaid with cut pieces of pearl-shell: Melanesia, Solomon Islands, Guadalcanal, 19th century

Shield of light wood with central boss and handle at back cut out of the solid, painted in colours with a symmetrical pattern: Australasia, Australia, Queensland, Russell River, Australian Aboriginal

Shield, elliptical, with raised bars on both sides, front bars blackened and scored with lines and the back carved with horizontal and vertical lines and decorated with white and red pigment, handle carved out of whole, wood: Australasia, Australia, Queensland, 19th or 20th century

Shield, incised with lines along the whole length, wood: Australasia, Australia, Northern Territory, Australian Aboriginal : Arrernte, 19th or 20th century

Wooden parrying shield, lozenge-shaped in cross-section, with two front faces with zigzag lines excised and filled with lime: Australasia, Australia, Victoria, Australian Aboriginal, 1850 - 1860