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Created page with 'File:lighterstill.jpgright|frame ==Origin== [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._1100-1500_.09T...'
[[File:lighterstill.jpg]][[File:Warrior_Alkimachos_Painter_MAN_-_Version_2.jpg|right|frame]]
==Origin==
[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._1100-1500_.09THE_MIDDLE_ENGLISH_PERIOD Middle English] ''sheld'', from [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._600-1100.09THE_OLD_ENGLISH.2C_OR_ANGLO-SAXON_PERIOD Old English] ''scield''; akin to Old High German ''scilt'' shield and probably to Old English ''sciell'' shell
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12th_century before 12th Century]
==Definitions==
*1: a broad piece of [[defensive]] [[armor]] carried on the arm
*2: one that [[protects]] or defends : defense
*3: dress shield
*4a : a device or part that serves as a protective cover or [[barrier]]
:b : a protective [[structure]] (as a carapace, scale, or plate) of some [[animals]]
*5: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escutcheon escutcheo]n; especially : one that is wide at the top and rounds to a point at the bottom
*6: the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precambrian Precambrian] nuclear mass of a [[continent]] that is [[surrounded]] and sometimes covered by sedimentary rocks
==Description==
A '''shield''' is a type of personal [[armor]], meant to intercept [[attacks]], either by stopping projectiles such as arrows or redirecting a hit from a sword, mace, battle axe or similar [[weapon]] to the side of the shield-bearer.
Shields vary greatly in size, ranging from large panels that protect the user's entire body to small models (such as the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckler buckler]) that were intended for hand-to-hand-combat use. Shields also vary a great deal in thickness; whereas some shields were made of relatively deep, [[absorbent]], wooden planking to protect [[soldiers]] from the impact of spears and crossbow bolts, others were thinner and lighter and designed mainly for deflecting blade strikes.
In [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prehistory prehistory] and during the era of the earliest civilizations, shields were made of wood, animal hide, [[woven]] reeds or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicker wicker]. In classical antiquity, the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Migration_Period Migration Period] and the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Ages Middle Ages], they were normally constructed of poplar, lime or another split-resistant timber, covered in some instances with a material such as leather or rawhide and often reinforced with a metal boss, rim or banding. They were carried by foot [[soldiers]], knights and cavalry.
Shape wise, depending on time and place, shields could be round, oval, square, rectangular, triangular or scalloped. Sometimes they took on the form of kites, flatirons or figures-of-eight, or had rounded tops on a rectangular base with perhaps an eyehole inserted. The shield was held by a central grip or by straps which went over or around the user's arm
Often shields were decorated with a painted [[pattern]] or an [[animal]] [[representation]] and these [[designs]] developed into systematized [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heraldry heraldic] devices during high-medieval times for purposes of battlefield [[identification]]. Even after the introduction of gunpowder and firearms to the battlefield, shields continued to be used by certain groups. In the 18th century, for example, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Highland Scottish Highland] fighters liked to wield small shields (known as a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Targe targe]), and as late as the 19th century, some non-industrialized peoples employed them (such as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zulu_Kingdom Zulu] warriors) when waging war.
In the 20th and 21st century, shields have been used by [[military]] and police units that specialize in anti-[[terrorist]] actions, hostage [[rescue]], riot control and [[siege]]-breaking. The modern term usually refers to a device that is held in the hand or attached to the arm, as opposed to an armored suit or a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullet-proof_vest bullet-proof] vest. Shields are also sometimes mounted on vehicle-mounted weapons to protect the operator.
==Origin==
[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._1100-1500_.09THE_MIDDLE_ENGLISH_PERIOD Middle English] ''sheld'', from [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._600-1100.09THE_OLD_ENGLISH.2C_OR_ANGLO-SAXON_PERIOD Old English] ''scield''; akin to Old High German ''scilt'' shield and probably to Old English ''sciell'' shell
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12th_century before 12th Century]
==Definitions==
*1: a broad piece of [[defensive]] [[armor]] carried on the arm
*2: one that [[protects]] or defends : defense
*3: dress shield
*4a : a device or part that serves as a protective cover or [[barrier]]
:b : a protective [[structure]] (as a carapace, scale, or plate) of some [[animals]]
*5: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escutcheon escutcheo]n; especially : one that is wide at the top and rounds to a point at the bottom
*6: the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precambrian Precambrian] nuclear mass of a [[continent]] that is [[surrounded]] and sometimes covered by sedimentary rocks
==Description==
A '''shield''' is a type of personal [[armor]], meant to intercept [[attacks]], either by stopping projectiles such as arrows or redirecting a hit from a sword, mace, battle axe or similar [[weapon]] to the side of the shield-bearer.
Shields vary greatly in size, ranging from large panels that protect the user's entire body to small models (such as the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckler buckler]) that were intended for hand-to-hand-combat use. Shields also vary a great deal in thickness; whereas some shields were made of relatively deep, [[absorbent]], wooden planking to protect [[soldiers]] from the impact of spears and crossbow bolts, others were thinner and lighter and designed mainly for deflecting blade strikes.
In [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prehistory prehistory] and during the era of the earliest civilizations, shields were made of wood, animal hide, [[woven]] reeds or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicker wicker]. In classical antiquity, the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Migration_Period Migration Period] and the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Ages Middle Ages], they were normally constructed of poplar, lime or another split-resistant timber, covered in some instances with a material such as leather or rawhide and often reinforced with a metal boss, rim or banding. They were carried by foot [[soldiers]], knights and cavalry.
Shape wise, depending on time and place, shields could be round, oval, square, rectangular, triangular or scalloped. Sometimes they took on the form of kites, flatirons or figures-of-eight, or had rounded tops on a rectangular base with perhaps an eyehole inserted. The shield was held by a central grip or by straps which went over or around the user's arm
Often shields were decorated with a painted [[pattern]] or an [[animal]] [[representation]] and these [[designs]] developed into systematized [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heraldry heraldic] devices during high-medieval times for purposes of battlefield [[identification]]. Even after the introduction of gunpowder and firearms to the battlefield, shields continued to be used by certain groups. In the 18th century, for example, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Highland Scottish Highland] fighters liked to wield small shields (known as a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Targe targe]), and as late as the 19th century, some non-industrialized peoples employed them (such as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zulu_Kingdom Zulu] warriors) when waging war.
In the 20th and 21st century, shields have been used by [[military]] and police units that specialize in anti-[[terrorist]] actions, hostage [[rescue]], riot control and [[siege]]-breaking. The modern term usually refers to a device that is held in the hand or attached to the arm, as opposed to an armored suit or a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullet-proof_vest bullet-proof] vest. Shields are also sometimes mounted on vehicle-mounted weapons to protect the operator.