Ishilangu
| Ishilangu | |
|---|---|
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| Information | |
| Weapon type: | Protective weapon |
| Designations: | Ishilangu |
| Use: | Protective weapon, ceremonial item |
| Region of origin / author: |
Africa , Zulu ethnic group |
| Distribution: | Africa |
| Overall length: | variable |
| Handle: | Wood |
| Lists on the subject | |
The Ishilangu , also called Isihlangu or Zulu shield , is a protective weapon from Africa.
description
The Ishilangu was developed by Shaka , the king of the Zulu, in the Zulu language Shaka Senzangakhoma , who united the Zulu tribes into a major military power and began the conflict with Great Britain (the Zulu War ). It is made from cowhide and is oval. The handle on the back of the shield is made of wood. The manufacture of these shields was carried out by specialized craftsmen . Only the back skin of the animals was used to make the leather. The skin was dried in the sun and then buried under cow dung for two days. After that, she was hit with stones to make her a little more flexible. After cutting it into the typical oval shape, it was stretched on a wooden frame and provided with a vertically attached piece of wood that served as a handle. The handle was attached to the skin from the inside with additional leather straps. In the middle of the front, two rows of vertical incisions were made to the right and left of the handle. Flexible leather bands were woven into these incisions, giving the central part of the shield twice the thickness. In the restructured Zulu army, the shield, together with the newly developed short butting spear ( Assegai , Zulu language Iklwa ), served as the basis of Shaka's strategies . During an attack, the shield was held loosely under the arm. It was only at the last moment before the troops clashed that he was raised and attempted to hit the enemy in the face with it. It served as protection, but also as a weapon in a duel . The shield also served to identify the affiliation to a certain regiment (Zulu language Impi ) through patterns and colors on the front that the warriors could assign. They also served as badges of rank for warriors. The color and pattern differences indicated the warrior's rank within the troop. They have been marked as follows:
- white shield with one or two black dots: high-ranking, experienced warriors
- black shield: young, inexperienced warriors
- red shield: middle-aged warrior with some experience
This division was the basis for Shaka's battle line-up, which appeared somewhat like the head of a bull. The white shields stood in the middle (head), while the black and red shields on either side were outside (horns). The outside warriors were young and quick. They surrounded the enemy and drove them to the center where the elite of warriors waited.
The ceremonial use of the shield is that it was an important accessory in a warrior's wedding. It served as a status indicator when entering marriage. The warrior kept the shield even after he was discharged from military service. There are different versions that differ mainly in size.
literature
- George Cameron Stone , Donald J. LaRocca: A Glossary of the Construction, Decoration and Use of Arms and Armor. In All Countries and in All Times . Courier Dover Publications, Mineola, NY 1999, p. 308, ISBN 978-0-486-40726-5 .
- Ian Knight : The anatomy of the Zulu army. From Shaka to Cetshwayo, 1818-1879 . Greenhill Books, London 1995, p. 100, ISBN 978-1-85367-213-2 . [1]
- Dieter Plaschke, Manfred A. Zirngibl: African shields. Graphic works of art from the black continent . Verlag Panterra, Munich 1992 (German-English)
- JL Smail: From the land of the Zulu Kings . AJ Pope, Durban 1979, page 23ff, ISBN 0-620-03906-X .