Australian Aboriginal Western Desert Parrying Shield ‘Wunda’

Period: 1800-1899

Origin: Australia, Aboriginal Australia

Medium: Wood, Pigment

Dimension: 72 x 11 x 6 cm (28³/₈ x 4³/₈ x 2³/₈ inches)

Provenance: Ex Private collection Ghent Belgium

Literature: Used for parrying spears and other weapons, shields such as this were held in high regard by their owners and makers. The uneven line of the geometric zigzag decoration is the result of slow gouging to the wood with the incisor tooth of a possum.
     Australian Aborigines had a powerful attachment to their land and to everything that lived in it and this relationship is reflected in their art. The designs on their shields portray their landscape and, as with all of their artefacts, were made to communicate ideas to specific people or groups. The design therefore served as a vehicle through which a vision of the natural world was conveyed.