A war shield "kliau"

Description:

Borneo, Kalimantan, early 20th c.
H. 129 cm, B. 37 cm
Dayak war shield featuring a suggested demon face carved in relief, with the eyes highlighted by two light shell discs. The shield is decorated with tufts of goat hair and reinforced with rattan strips to prevent splitting, and painted in a deep red. The reverse bears an attached wooden handle. Shields were held freely in front of the body to complement sword and spear, with the parrying technique designed to trap an opponent’s blade, leaving them defenseless-a method used by skilled warriors worldwide. They were also displayed at festivals and worn in dances evoking the warrior spirit and the deeds of ancestral heroes. A rare, fine Dayak shield, a true historical combat shield in stark contrast to the decorative shields commonly seen today.
From an old German private collection, assembled since the 1950s - Edges slightly chipped