Large Norman Kite shield with a coat of arms

Description

Western and Eastern Europe of the XI-XIII centuries.

This shield is made with natural leather pasting on 2 sides and without additional edging along the edge. This is a historically reliable version of the shield assembly.
It is possible to make the shield in a simpler version with pasting the outer field of the shield with a cloth and lining the inner part of the shield under the boards.

Width 60 cm. Length 120 cm .
The shield field is curved. Plywood. The thickness is 8 mm. (gluing two layers of 4 mm.).
Umbon thickness of 2 mm. The inner diameter of the umbon is 12 cm. Height 6 cm.
Pasting the shield on both sides with genuine leather.
Coat of arms coloring.
Shoulder leather strap.

Norman shields of the XI and XII centuries had a considerable length, as it was necessary to protect the rider from shock weapons from the legs to the shoulders. On the aforementioned Bayeux carpet, the shape of the shields of cavalrymen and infantrymen does not differ. They are suitable for both. The infantrymen stand in tight rows so that their long shields, going behind each other, form a solid wall protecting them from arrows.

Just at this time, the armor has improved significantly. This significant result, derived from the experience of the Crusades, was the reason that during the XIII century the cavalry shield gradually became shorter. It now covered the rider from hip to chin.