Mythology and legends are important components of world civilizations and cultures. While myths contain unique elements that reveal the values of a culture, some aspects of myths and legends are similar across time and culture.
Objects like shields serve as necessary tools and symbols in the myths of Greece, Rome, Britain, Ireland, India, and other countries.
Shields often represented the sun in the mythology of early cultures. The round shape of a Bronze Age shield mimicked the shape of the sun in the sky.
Sometimes the purpose of the shield in a myth or legend was practical rather than symbolic. Shields were essential equipment for soldiers and were necessary for the protection of the powerful kings, warriors, and knights featured in mythological stories.
The following are some of the most famous and powerful shields in the myths and legends of several cultures.
The Shield of Achilles is described in Homer's Iliad. According to Homer's story, Hephaestus created the shield and gave it to Thetis, the mother of Achilles.
Thetis brought the shield to earth and presented it to her son. The shield features imagery of the earth and the people who inhabit it. Constellations, heaven, earth, and seas are balanced by scenes of human life.
The shield is thought to represent civilization, human knowledge, and the balance of war and peace.
According to Virgil's Aeneid, the Shield of Aeneas was crafted by Vulcan and used during war against the Rutuli people of Italy.
The shield is decorated with detailed imagery of the destiny of Rome and Aeneas' descendants.
Aegis is one of the most famous shields of Greek mythology. It belonged to Zeus and Athena and was lent to Apollo. The shield is mentioned in the Iliad and is described as being made from the hide of an Aix, or goat nymph.
The shield sometimes features the head of a Gorgon. In some works of art Aegis is depicted as an animal skin protecting Athena.
The shield of Ajax was crafted by Tychius. This shield was extremely durable, as it was made from seven layers of bull's hide and one layer of bronze.
According to Roman legend, Ancile is the shield of Mars which fell to earth onto Numa Pompilius, the second king of Rome. The shield stopped a plague which inflicted the city. Pompelius was informed that Rome would dominate as long as the Ancile shield was protected.
In response, Pompelius ordered the construction of eleven replicas of Ancile. That way, thieves would be unable to distinguish the real Ancile from the fakes.
These shields were called the Ancilia and were kept safe in the temple of Mars under the care of twelves priests. The Ancilia were paraded around Rome every March.
Svalinn is a powerful shield of Norse mythology described in the Poetic Edda. According to Norse stories, Svalinn is the shield that stands before the sun.
It protects the mountains from burning and the sea from boiling. Svalinn, which translates to "cooler," protects the earth from the suns damaging rays.
Several interpretations exist as to the symbolism of Svalinn. Shields are important to many types of mythology, and symbolize the sun due to their (oftentimes) round shape.
Some experts believe Svalinn is an early understanding of the earth's protective layer, which absorbs most of the sun's ultraviolet light.
The Arthurian legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is one of the most beloved stories in history.
The name Pridwen first appears in an early Welsh poem as the name of King Arthur's ship. Later, Geoffrey of Monmouth refers to King Arthur's shield as Pridwen.
According to Geoffrey, the shield had the image of the Virgin Mary painted on its front. The design of Pridwen would inspire the shield used by the knight Gawain in the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
Lancelot is one of the most loved knights of the Arthurian legend. His story is told in detail in the early 13th century story Lancelot of the Lake.
In this version of his story, Lancelot receives three powerful shields from a damsel of the Lady of the Lake. Lancelot uses these shields in his battle with knights of the Dolorous Guard castle.
Here is how these shields are described in the story:
"...He saw that they were all three white, and on the first there was one diagonal red band, on the second, there were two, and on the third, three. "
The bands on the white shields corresponded with the amount of power the shield possessed.
“And the three shields that you have seen are yours, and you should know that they are quite extraordinary, for as soon as you hang the shield with a single band around your neck, you will acquire the strength and prowess of another knight, in addition to your own. If you put on the shield with two bands, you will have the prowess of two knights; and from the one with three bands you will acquire the prowess from three knights.”
Ochain, or Acéin, is the enchanted shield of Conchobhar mac Nessa in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. He is the king of Ulster and the uncle of the famed Cu Chulainn in the myths.
Ochain is a shield rimmed with gold that has the ability to call out a warning when danger is near.
Conchobhar lent Ochain to his son Fiachra for use in a battle. The shield cried out a warning to Conchobhar that Fiachra was in danger and saved Fiachra during this event.
Derg-Druimnech, or "Red-Backed," is said to have been the shield of Domnall Breac. He was the king of Dál Riata in northern Ireland and Scotland.
During the Battle of Moira, Derg-Druimnech allegedly protected Domnall from a spear that passed through three other shields. Domnall's shield was the only one able to stop the spear.
While Domnall still recieved some injuries during this battle but was victorious in the end, thanks to Derg-Druimnech.
The Shatachandra is the strongest shield in Hinduism. It belongs to the god Vishnu and is used along with his club, sword, quivers, and arrows.
Vishnu used Shatachandra to fend off and destroy one trillion demons.
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