The stunning Battersea shield is actually not a complete shield, it's a bronze and enamel facing that was attached to the front of a wooden shield.
The elaborate La Tène-style decoration is an extraordinary example of Iron Age metalwork. The shield was dredged from the bed of the River Thames.
Since the bronze sheet is too thin for protection in combat and there is no evidence of battle damage, it is argued that the shield was a status symbol and/or a votive offering. Dating 350-50 BC.
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