Kite Shield – Strength That Has Lasted Centuries

We are pleased to present our own handcrafted kite shield. No mass production – each piece is created individually, by hand. The ideal choice for stage combat and historical reenactment.

 

Description

Dimensions

• Width: 60 cm

• Height: 115 cm

• Thickness: 9–12 mm

(as the shield is handmade, slight variations may occur)

 

Delivery time: 2 weeks from order (sometimes faster if the workshop’s workload is low)

Need a round shield? Then click here!

 

Construction and Materials

We combine centuries-old technology with modern materials:

• Shield core – Glued plywood layers with linen interlayers. This creates an extremely stable composite material.

• Outer finish – The kite shield is covered with linen (painting not included).

• Edges – Reinforced with a rawhide trim and neatly stitched.

• Arm strap – Made of rawhide.

 

Why are Our Shields Better?

Originally, in the early Middle Ages, such shields were made from solid wooden planks, joined together with linen, rawhide, and plenty of glue. This technique produced robust but very heavy shields. Later, the shape remained, but metal came into use – making the shields even heavier.

Today, most manufacturers make shields simply from laminated wood. This gives them lightness and acceptable stability.

We go a step further. Our shields are made of plywood as described above, but we additionally use the ancient composite technique with linen interlayers. This gives our kite shield exceptional durability: even a mighty blow from a ferocious warrior will not cause serious damage.

All this while being very strong and simultaneously light.

 

Historical Background

The origin of the kite shield is likely connected to Byzantium. The earliest depictions of this shape date back to the mid-10th century. The shield emerged during the golden age of cavalry – and for good reason. Its form perfectly covered the rider from shoulder to knee: the pointed lower end followed the curve of the horse’s neck and protected the rider’s leg.

The kite shield offered another important tactical advantage. If you form up a unit and position the shields with the point alternating up and down, they create a dense protective wall. The narrow and wide parts of the shields complement each other, leaving no gaps for the enemy. In this respect, the kite shield was superior to the round shield.

Over time, this shape became a distinctive feature of Norman cavalry, as well as Slavic warriors.

Like the round shield, the kite shield was always a consumable item. It had to be tough enough to withstand several battles, yet quick to manufacture. Typical shields were made from lightweight, resilient woods such as linden, alder, or poplar. They had a layered construction, were covered with leather, and their edges were either treated with rawhide or bound with iron for protection against cutting blows. The height varied from 50 to 114 cm, and the weight was between 3.5 and 4.5 kg.

Later, the shape of the shield changed. The upper edge gradually became flatter – this improved the warrior’s field of vision. The shield itself became smaller. This was linked to the overall development of protective armor: over time, armor took over some of the shield’s functions, and the need for bulky protection diminished.