Two Recent British Shield Finds and their Continental Parallels

Abstract

In the course of research on Bronze Age metalwork from Surrey 1972–4, the writer's attention was drawn to an unpublished bronze shield in Chertsey Museum found locally at Mixnam's Pit several years earlier. The find obviously did not fall into any known British type, and closer parallels evident amongst the continentalNipperweiseclass made this, potentially, the first recognised import of a Bronze Age shield to Britain. With the aid of theSir Cyril Fox Memorial Awardfor 1974, it was possible to study continental bronze shields in West Germany and Denmark, in particular three of the five known examples ofNipperweisetype. Subsequently, in June 1977, by curious chance, a second BritishNipperweise-likeshield was recovered at Long Wittenham, and this has amplified the need for a detailed consideration of relationships within the class. First, however, it is necessary to describe the two British shields and their find circumstances, and to give descriptions of the relevant continental examples.