Shield from the Upper Amazon

Dated: pre-1866

Cultural Context: Upper Amazon style

Origin: Ecuador

Medium: Wood and pigments

Technique: Carved, perforated and painted

Dimensions: Diameter = 85 cm; Thickness = 2 cm

Inventory no.: 13934

Circular shield made up of three superimposed discs. It is decorated with black background paint and two rows of reddish-purple triangles arranged in a concentric pattern. The main weapon of the Jíbaro people is the spear, rather than the sling or the mace, but the shield is an essential part of their defensive arsenal. The one on display here is characteristic of the Aguaruna, Huambisa and Macas subfamilies. It is made of chonta wood and the use of the red colour of the decoration makes it a protector against men and "demons". This shield is one of the pieces collected by the Pacific Scientific Expedition between 1862 and 1865.