"Conical Battle Shield Kalkan Ottoman Turkish Wrought Iron Eighteenth Century"
Rare Kalkan* combat shield, conical in shape, in wrought iron (with concentric yoke), fabric and wood, Ottoman origin, from the late 18th-early 19th century. This shield is in good general condition, in its juice, to be restored. The central part of the cone of the shield is detached from the border (see photos). A note: missing the leather handle on the inside (replaced by a string later), some accidents and wear on the fabric, wear of time, take a good look at the photos. * The basic structure dates back to the purely woven shields of the Mongols and early Turks in the 15th and 16th centuries: braided in a spiral around a wooden pane, thin plant stems are firmly sewn together with fabric threads. This "basic shield" was reinforced with iron parts during the later Ottoman period. The “kalkan” combat shield could thus protect against both arrows and sword blows: with an iron border and a flat ornate iron boss. The inward recessed border and the boss of the shield were connected to the present “kalkan” by iron stakes. We are selling a second similar shield on this site. Dimensions Diameter 28 cm / thickness 8.5 cm Reference: F30 1124 All the photos are on: www.antiques-delaval.com