Determination of the geographical origin of leather shields from Zanzibar using ancient DNA tools

Abstract

Zanzibar shields are documented in several books and preserved in many European, African and Omani museums. They are relatively small and decorated; therefore, we can assume that they served to not only to protect the hand during sword combat but also to attract the attention of the attacker. As with all shields, they are also an object of prestige and armorial bearing to identify the owner's army corps. Within the incredible cultural and ethnic mosaic of this part of the Indian Ocean, the shield enables alliances, protection systems and allegiance to be specified and clarified.This study is a step towards understanding the nature of the relationships between Oman and the various communities living on the western coast of the Indian Ocean based on their material culture, especially their shields. Identifying the animal species used to make the shields was crucial in establishing both the manufacturers and the consumers of these objects. DNA analyses indicated that the leather used for the studied Zanzibar shields is rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis michaeli); a subspecies historically only present on the coast of East Africa. Our results also indicate that the shields, used mainly in Oman, Zanzibar and other regions with a strong relationship with Oman power, were made in Zanzibar and the Arabian Peninsula.