Chamba Shield With Original Sling

This very old shield (diameter 21 in.) is from the Chamba of eastern Nigeria. The Chamba are one of the largest ethnic groups in the region. They are spread out in into many small tribes that together made up a single kingdom. This Chamba shield is over one hundred years old and has an attached sling. The sling was used in battle to hurl stones with high velocity. To find a shied with its original accompanying weapon still attached is very unusual. My guess is that long ago its owner returned from a skirmish and stored the shield in the rafters of his home, attaching his weapon to it so that it wouldn’t go missing when he next went to war. Slings are entirely made of textile and can easily be overlooked hanging from the rafters among the typical assortment of chords, and lengths of twine and leather one finds in traditional African houses. The front of the shield is concave on either side of the vertical crease that runs along down the center. It is well encrusted with earth and soot from its many years of front line use and faithful storage.

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