Rare Wood Shield of the Tanala people of Madagascar

The Tanala are an ethnic group from East Madagascar. The name Tanala means “People of the forest” . The Tanala people are famous for their wood carving skills and it is well represented in the specific and unusual shield they use. The Tanala shield is carved from a single wood block elliptical or round,  with a central handle on the reverse side. The front side is covered with stretched hide.

The Tanala shield offered here is a late 19th century vintage. A small size round exemplar. 14 1/2 inches (37 cm) diameter. Very good condition to age. The hide cover complete and well stretched but lost its fur.

For another Tanala shield see: “Boucliers d’Afrique, d’Asia du Sud-Est et d’Oceanic” by Barbier – Mueller Museum pages 126 – 127.