# North Indian Lahore Mughal Wootz Shield Dhal

Status: Sold · Region: India · Type: Armor

Indian shields are often found in hide or leather and more entirely in iron composed of watered steel or wootz. The classic Indian dhal takes a form similar to that found from Persia, Central Asia, and through to South India. The distinguishing features are found in the decoration, the style of watered steel employed, and in some cases the style of the shield itself.

  


This example, more appropriately termed a buckler, is composed of Indian crystalline wootz. The rim is decorated in gold koftgari with floral designs alongside a number of applied gilded iron fishes, indicative potentially of Lahore, where this kind of gold koftgari is known to have been favored. The shield has six bosses in a classic and uncommon North Indians tyle, with four larger pierced iron and gold decorated bosses and two smaller bosses sitting more closely together above.

  


Judging by the quality of the ironwork and decoration the shield likely dates to the late 18th to early 19th century.