Old, and worn.
After the surface of a wide and narrow basketry shield was woven, the shield maker attached it to a wooden frame. On the backside, a wooden board was sewn on with rattan strips to serve as as handle. The shields of great warriors were decorated with distinct patterns to distinguish between friend and foe.
There are a number of different tribes in this area who all used similar shields, having the characteristic Mongo double rattan rods that run alongside the midrib, providing additional strength.
Height: 55" x Width: 15 3/8" x Depth: 2 1/2""