Bronze Age Shield/ The Antrim Shield

Description

This circular shield is made of very thin sheet-bronze, evenly beaten to a thickness of less than 1 mm. It is skilfully and symmetrically decorated with 11 concentric repoussé ribs and 11 rows of low hemispherical bosses. A large, hollow central boss is stepped and of a rounded conical shape. Two neat circular perforations, replacing bosses in one row, held the rivets for suspension tabs, now missing. A central handle, on the back, is a stout C-sectioned strip of bronze, held in place by two rivets with heads indistinguishable from the decorative bosses. Six tears or holes represent damage from the rear; one irregular perforation represents damage from the front and it is unclear what might have caused this. Yetholm type.

The find spot of the shield is unknown but it may have come from County Antrim.