Medieval Shield with Skull and Crossed Axes: 48 cm
Specifications
| Color | Gold, Black |
| Material | PU foam with a rigid core, black finish, gold-tone rivets and rosettes |
| Dimensions | About 48 × 34 cm, heater shield shape, pointed at the bottom |
- For: men and women (adults)
- PU foam with a rigid core, black finish, gold-tone rivets and rosettes
- About 48 × 34 cm, heater shield shape, pointed at the bottom
- Replica: no hard edges, for costume and wall display
- Free shipping from 49€ · secure payment
The round shield disappeared because of the horse
A black shield charged with a skull wrapped in a coiling serpent, set over two crossed axes with light-colored heads. Gold-tone rivets and rosettes around the rim, and an upright sword behind the design.
Find this piece in our shield section.
What sets this piece apart
- The design is layered on three levels: axes at the back, skull in the center, serpent on top. This stepped relief reads from a distance, which a flat print cannot do.
- The axes are crossed in saltire: that is the heraldic name for an X arrangement, and it is one of the few heraldic conventions respected here.
- PU foam with a rigid core: forty-eight centimeters that weigh almost nothing, to carry for a whole evening or to hang on the wall.
- This is not a weapon: PU foam with a rigid core, no hard edges. This piece is made for costume, the stage and the wall.
Features
- Material: PU foam with a rigid core, black finish, gold-tone rivets and rosettes
- Dimensions: About 48 × 34 cm, shield shape pointed at the bottom
- Use: costume, reenactment, wall decor
- For: men and women (adults)
Did you know?
If this shield doesn't have the shape of a Viking shield, it's because of the horse. The round shield of the North was held at arm's length, in the fist, by a simple grip behind the boss: perfect on foot, in a shield wall. But on horseback, it leaves the whole left leg exposed. So 11th-century horsemen lengthened the bottom of the shield into an almond shape — this is the kite shield seen on the Bayeux Tapestry. Then, as leg armor became widespread, the point became useless again: it was shortened, and the result was the triangular shield. Three centuries of evolution that can be summed up like this: the shape of the shield follows the shape of what it has to protect.
To go further, our feature on the Viking shield shows what the round shape that came before this one looked like, and the weapons section completes the kit.
In the same section
Is this a Viking shield?
No. This shield shape arose with 11th-century cavalry, well after the Viking Age. Scandinavians only used the round shield.
Is the skull a heraldic motif?
Very rarely, and only late. The axes crossed in saltire, on the other hand, do belong to the vocabulary of heraldry.
How big is it?
About 48 cm tall by 34 wide, in PU foam with a rigid core.
Can it be hung on the wall?
Yes, it is very light: a simple hook is enough.
Delivery — Allow 7 to 15 business days for mainland France, 10 to 20 days for the European Union. Free delivery on orders over €49.
Delivery guarantee — If your parcel is not delivered within 60 business days, we will provide an immediate reshipment or a full refund.
14-day returns — You have 14 calendar days from receipt to request an exchange or refund. The item must be returned within this period, in its original packaging.
Legal guarantees — All our products are covered by the legal guarantee of conformity and the guarantee against hidden defects, in accordance with the Consumer Code and the Civil Code.
