Highland Targets and Other Shields

A detailed archaeological and comparative study of Scottish Highland defensive weapons, focusing on small round and oval targets (shields). The author surveys forms, construction materials and decorative details, catalogues museum specimens and peat‑bog and burial finds, and compares native examples with Roman, Scandinavian and continental types. Emphasis is placed on bosses, rims, mounting methods, and decorative motifs, with notes on regional variations and surviving representations on sculptured stones and tomb slabs. The essay discusses excavation evidence, manufacturing techniques, and the continuity and transformation of shield types across periods, illustrated by representative finds and measured descriptions.