Zulu Umbhumbulosu Shield

The Umbhumbulosu Zulu warrior shield

King Shaka introduced this smaller more compact Umbhumbulosu shield to replace the larger more cumbersome Amabutho shield and a new Ikwla short stabbing spear. This was a new style of fighting whereby the Zulu could put his enemy off balance with the shield, or use it to hook around his enemy's shield, pull it across his body and stab him under the left arm.

By the time of the Anglo Zulu war of 1879 most Zulu warriors were equipped with the Umbhumbulosu shield,each regiment would have had a different colour scheme of predominate colours with white shield being carried by senior regiments while younger carriers black shields.

The making of a Zulu shield was a specialized craft. Hide was taken from the back of an animal, pegged out in the sun to harden and dry then buried under manure for at least two days before being pounded with stones. The characteristic oval shape was cut and a central stick support secured by leather loops. Two columns of small horizontal slits were cut in the face of the shield and supple pieces of leather interwoven between them down each side of the stick to give the central section a double thickness

Please note each shield is individual made so no 2 shields will be the same colour

Size 90- x53 cms

The shields actual weight is 900grms but due to Royal mail post restrictions on size it can only be sent by parcel force so  the weight has a false weight of 2001grms