Small Pavise (14th-15th Century)

• Width: 60 cm
• Length: 70 cm
• Plywood thickness: 8 mm
• Shield face covered with high-strength fabric + solid color paint
• Inner side covered with fabric and solid color paint
• Shoulder rope straps
• Leather straps for elbow and fist grips
• Custom coloring available upon request, including personalized designs

The so-called “Small Pavise” serves as a versatile shoulder shield, often referred to as a “tarcha,” featuring a groove designed to accommodate either the shoulder or forearm. It could also be used with a “grip hold” during close combat if necessary.

The exact historical name for shields with a groove, as used in Ancient Rus’, Lithuania, and other Eastern lands, remains unknown. Whether a distinct term for such shields existed is unclear. M.G. Rabinovich was among the first in Soviet historiography to study this type of shield, describing it as “a shield with a wide longitudinal stripe in the center…” He noted that such shields appeared to be “not entirely typical, likely of local design.”

Later, A.N. Kirpichnikov collected miniatures from chronicles and numerous seal depictions featuring warriors holding shields with a central division.