An Unusually Broad Australian Aboriginal Western Desert Shield ‘Wunda’

Period: 1800-1850

Origin: Australia, Aboriginal Australia

Medium: Wood, Pigment

Dimension: 73.5 x 20 cm (29⁰/₁ x 7⁷/₈ inches)

Literature: Some of the early European settlers and visitors to the newly founded Australian colonies collected Aboriginal artefacts, many of which ended up in Britain orEurope or. However, shields, unlike other traded objects, were not easily obtained by the Europeans as they took many hours to make and were held sacred and in high regard by the Aboriginals.
     The large flat shields were used for protection from spears and boomerangs. The incised linear designs were enhanced and emphasised with pigments rubbed into the grooves and were made by means of a possum-tooth engraving tool. These remarkably accomplished patterns changed with the alternation of light and shade in the bright Australian desert environment.