Battersea Shield
Encyclopedia
The Battersea Shield is one of the most significant pieces of ancient Celtic military equipment found in Britain. It is a sheet bronze
covering of a (now vanished) wooden shield
decorated in La Tène style. The shield is on display in the British Museum
, while a replica is housed in the Museum of London
.
in 1857, during excavations for the predecessor of Chelsea Bridge
; in the same area workers found large quantities of Roman and Celtic
weapons and skeletons in the riverbed, leading many historians to conclude that the area was the site of Julius Caesar
's crossing of the Thames during the 54 BC invasion of Britain
.
. The decoration is in the typically Celt
ic La Tène style, consisting of circles and spirals. As a decorative piece it would not have been an effective shield in combat. As it shows no signs of battle damage, it is believed that the shield was cast into the river as a votive offering
and was never used in battle. The metal plate of the shield that remains would have been fixed onto a plain, round wooden shield behind it.
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
covering of a (now vanished) wooden shield
Shield
A shield is a type of personal armor, meant to intercept attacks, either by stopping projectiles such as arrows or redirecting a hit from a sword, mace or battle axe to the side of the shield-bearer....
decorated in La Tène style. The shield is on display in the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
, while a replica is housed in the Museum of London
Museum of London
The Museum of London documents the history of London from the Prehistoric to the present day. The museum is located close to the Barbican Centre, as part of the striking Barbican complex of buildings created in the 1960s and 70s as an innovative approach to re-development within a bomb damaged...
.
History
The Battersea Shield probably dates from the 1st century BC or early 1st century AD, though an earlier date is possible, and dates from as early as 350 BC have been suggested. It was dredged from the bed of the River Thames in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1857, during excavations for the predecessor of Chelsea Bridge
Chelsea Bridge
Chelsea Bridge is a bridge over the River Thames in west London, connecting Chelsea on the north bank to Battersea on the south bank. There have been two Chelsea Bridges, on the site of what was an ancient ford....
; in the same area workers found large quantities of Roman and Celtic
Celtic warfare
The history of Celtic warfare spans from c. 10th century BC up to the first few centuries AD and it concerns the distinct styles of warfare of the peoples known as Celts. It concerns the armed conflicts of the Celtic tribes and their kingdoms...
weapons and skeletons in the riverbed, leading many historians to conclude that the area was the site of Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
's crossing of the Thames during the 54 BC invasion of Britain
Caesar's invasions of Britain
In his Gallic Wars, Julius Caesar invaded Britain twice, in 55 and 54 BC. The first invasion, made late in summer, was either intended as a full invasion or a reconnaissance-in-force expedition...
.
Description
The Battersea Shield is decorated with repoussé decoration and enamelVitreous enamel
Vitreous enamel, also porcelain enamel in U.S. English, is a material made by fusing powdered glass to a substrate by firing, usually between 750 and 850 °C...
. The decoration is in the typically Celt
Celt
The Celts were a diverse group of tribal societies in Iron Age and Roman-era Europe who spoke Celtic languages.The earliest archaeological culture commonly accepted as Celtic, or rather Proto-Celtic, was the central European Hallstatt culture , named for the rich grave finds in Hallstatt, Austria....
ic La Tène style, consisting of circles and spirals. As a decorative piece it would not have been an effective shield in combat. As it shows no signs of battle damage, it is believed that the shield was cast into the river as a votive offering
Votive offering
A votive deposit or votive offering is one or more objects displayed or deposited, without the intention of recovery or use, in a sacred place for broadly religious purposes. Such items are a feature of modern and ancient societies and are generally made in order to gain favor with supernatural...
and was never used in battle. The metal plate of the shield that remains would have been fixed onto a plain, round wooden shield behind it.
External links
- British Museum: the Battersea shield highlights page