constructed from thin sheet bronze, with large central bulge and two stepped concentric circles,  the rim with two double perforations opposite each other which were probably made to attach the grip.

For a related example see: cf. F.R.S. Moorey, Catalogue of the Ancient Persian Bronzes in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford 1971, p. 252, ill. 483, plate 73 and Haerinck E., Overlaet B. "Luristan Excavation Documents Vol. III: Djub-i Gauhar and Gul Khanan Murdah. Iron Age III Graveyards in the Aivan Plain" 1999, Acta Iranica Series, 36.  The authors write:

"Identical shields are familiar from several other Iron age III sites in the Pusht-i Kuh, such as Chamahzi Mumah (13 specimens, Haerinck & Overlaet 1998, p 23-24) Tattulban Chinan, Sar Kabud (Vanden Berge 1979, p. 143. fig 3; 1982, fig 28; 1987, p.233-234, 236) and also at Gul Khanan Murdah by Erich Schmidt in a tomb at Khatunban in the Pish-i Kuh (Schmidt, van Loon & Curvers 1989, p. 64, 326-327, pl. 66, 213d) another one was excavated in a tomb at Marlik Tepe in northern Iran (Negahban 1996, p. 283, pl. 128).  Still unresolved is the discussion on how these objects were used.  The position in the tombs and their consistent occurrence with bonze maces, swords, axes, axe-adze or spearheads confirms their indentification as shields but the bronze sheet they are made of is much too thin to be used as such in actual battle.  It has often been put forward that they must have been mounted on a wood or leather backing, but in analogy with comparable European Bronze Age shields, one can suggest that they are in fact merely imitations of leather shields which were better suited for actual battle (Coles 1975, p. 144-148, pl. 16).  In this regards an interesting parallel is provided by shark skin shields which were used until the early 20th century by Arab tribes along the Persian Gulf coast.  They are more or less of the same size, and also have a central bulge with stepped concentric circles around it.  If the assumption that the bronze shields were merely symbolic representations of leather shields is correct, it may help explain why there were non found at, for example War Kabud, although large numbers of weapons were present there.  For some reason, there may have been a preference to place actual shields in the tomb instead of bronze representations".  p. 30 ill. 14, p. 29.

Condition:   Small crack on the edge and a few minor edge losses otherwise intact and in very good condition overall.

Dimensions: Diameter: 26 cm (10 1/8 in), Height at Center: 8.5 cm (3 in)

Provenance:   Patti Birch private collection, NY.