Battersea shield

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Battersea shield
Battersea shield
Information
Weapon type: Protective weapon
Designations: Battersea shield
Use: decorative shield
Creation time: 3rd - 1st century v. BC ( La Tène period )
Region of origin /
author:
England
Overall length: 77 cm
Weight: 3.4 kg
Material: bronze
Lists on the subject

The Battersea shield ( English Battersea shield ) is an ancient shield made of bronze from around 300 BC. BC and one of the most important Celtic works of art in the British Isles . It is not a complete sign, just the cover of an unpreserved wooden sign and is now on display in room 50 of the British Museum .

history

The time of production is controversial, a period between the 1st and 3rd century BC is considered likely. BC, whereby the 1st century AD was also suggested. The sign was found in the mud of the Thames near Battersea Bridge in London in 1857 during construction of the first Chelsea Bridge . Many other Roman and Celtic weapons (including the Waterloo helmet , the Battersea cauldron ) and skeletons were found in the area, which many historians suggest that 54 BC was found here. Chr. Julius Caesar's crossing of the Thames took place in the course of his campaigns against Britain .

description

The shield was made using the repoussé technique. The three round ornamental discs consist of several spirals and circles with 27 inlays made of red enamel , the largest on the hump of the middle disc. The decorations are typical of the Latène period ( La Tène style ). It is likely to be a purely ornamental artifact that was not intended for military purposes, as it is too short to offer effective protection in a battle. Since it also shows no signs of combat damage, it may have been deliberately deposited in the Thames as a votive offering . The sign is listed in the museum under the inventory number "1857,0715.1".

See also

literature

  • James Beresford: Caratacus and the End of Celtic Britain. Minerva Magazine, July / August 2009 issue, pages 14 ff. ( Online PDF )
  • Ian M. Stead, The Battersea shield. British Museum Publications, London 1985, ISBN 0-7141-1375-1 .

Individual evidence

  1. The British Museum: The Battersea Shield ( Memento of September 24, 2017 in the Internet Archive ), (English, accessed April 10, 2019)

Web links

Commons : Battersea Shield  - Collection of images, videos, and audio files