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SHIELDS PLAINS INDIANS
Page 5 of 7 |
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DESCRIPTION OF A COMANCHE
SHIELD
FROM HARVEY COLLECTION |
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To speak of shields and their
construction is one thing, to actually see themis another, since a
beautifully crafted one is simply stupendous. From the collector's point
of view it is regrettable that so many were buried with their owners,
and thus deteriorated in the grave or on the burial platforms. Fred
Harvey, who assembled one of the finest private collections of Plains
and Southwest items ever known, obtained a heat-shrunken Comanche shield
which deserves special mention. |
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This Comanche shield has not one, but
two covers. It is concave, and thus provides a dish or basket to
hold its beautiful pendants and array of eagle feathers. It is
eighteen inches in diameter, and the total length from the top
of the shield to the end of the wool pendants is fifty-two
inches. The shield itself is approximately one-half inch thick. |
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The cap, or outer cover, has an inner
circle of black bordered by white, the next area is deep blue,
and the outer edge is lemon yellow. The radiating lines are
alternately orange and black. A small group of feathers in the
center of the cover is a combination of hawk and eagle wing
feathers. One large eagle tail feather also hangs from the
center and there are two smaller side feathers with breath
feathers attached. The outer cap fits over the inside cover like
a dust cover on a case. There are metal bells on it-which means
it was used for ceremonial dances, and perhaps was not carried
into enemy territory, where the noise of the bells would give
the owner away. |
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The inside cover has the greatest
number of eagle tail feathers attached to its front at each
side, and also two long dark-blue blanket cloth pendants. Its
center dishes in to fit the concave shape of the shield itself,
and everything hanging on it packs into this dish receptacle so
neatly it excites the utmost appreciation. Undoubtedly, this
cover was carried to war, pointed toward the enemy to dispel its
medicine, and then removed as an actual battle was engaged.
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The shield itself was used for the
fight. A war sling of buckskin is attached to the back, as is
another sling of woven (Mexican origin) woolen material. This
second band is four inches wide, and being more comfortable than
the narrow buckskin sling was probably used to carry the shield
to and from a raid. There are also two long pendant strips of
buffalo skin, with hair, attached to the back
of the shield. |
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NEXT - HOW
THE SHIELD WAS CARRIED |
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PAGES IN THIS ARTICLE
[ Intro~ About Shields and Shield Making ] [ Pictures of Shields of Various Tribes ] [ To Make a Standard Shield ] [ To Make a Wooden Hoop Shield ] [ Description of a Comanche Shield ] [ How the Shield Was Carried ] [ Four Types of Shields ~ Conclusion ~ Footnotes ]
SHIELDS: Life Living Art ~ Original Snow Owl Article |
