A large elliptical shield made by the Maasai people of Kenya and Tanzania. Shields of this type are used by young men and considered symbols of manhood. The convex shield is composed of buffalo hide sewn onto a wooden frame. The surface of the shield is bisected into two panels with the border featuring alternating diamond shaped motifs in red, black, and white. Each side of the shield has a large white ellipse surrounded on one side by a uniform red pigment. On the other the white ellipse is surrounded by concentric borders of alternating black and white then red and white triangular bands in a larger field of black pigment. A wooden handle is affixed down the middle of the back of the shield and is wrapped with leather strips.
- Catalog Number:
- 400509 -DSP
- Object/Specimen Description:
- Specimen Count:
- 1
- Culture/Ethnicity:
- Maasai
- Precise Locality:
South Central/South West Kenya
- Locality:
- African Region
- Collecting Locality:
- Africa, Kenya
- Special Instructions:
- Only available digitally
- Location:
- Collection Wall
Baule woodcarvers at work, Yagolikro village, Ivory Coast
Photograph by Eliot Elisofon, 1972. Image no. EEPA EECL 6900. Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution
Humans have always manipulated their environment, whether by acquiring food, making and using tools, or other aspects of daily life. They are constantly interacting with their environment on a daily basis. By using the available materials, humans have created shelter, made tools, created containers and vessels, and produced items of personal and cultural significance. Many of these resources are naturally occurring, such as stones, minerals, animal bones, or organic fibers from plants, while others are made from combining materials. The process of acquiring these materials and the manufacturing process can be traditional practices that are passed down from one generation to another. Because materials are unique to the location of different communities and cultures, by studying the types of materials, as well as animal remains found and the processes used to manipulate them, anthropologists and researchers can learn about the daily activities and lifestyles of the cultures they are studying. In what ways do you interact with your environment on a daily basis?