What is Celtic shields?
[[File:British Museum Battersea Shield.jpg|thumb|200px|{{Center|[[Iron Age]] [[bronze]] shield, known as the [[Battersea Shield]] in the [[British Museum]]}}]] [[File:Highland targe.jpg|right|thumb|200px|{{center|Another style of Celtic shield, A Highland [[:en:wikt:targe|targe]] from the National Museum of Scotland}}]] '''Celtic shields''' were used in [[battle]] by the [[Celts]] and other ancient [[tribe]]s as their main [[weapon]] for [[:wikt:defense|defense]]. They are often found in Iron Age male burial sites. The Witham shield and the Battersea shield are two of the most well-known Celtic shields. == Design == Celtic shields were usually [[:wikt:oval|oval]] or elongated oval in shape.<ref name=CW60>''Celtic Warrior: 300 BC-AD 100'', eds. Stephen Allen; Wayne Reynolds (Oxford: Osprey, 2006), p. 60</ref> They could also be round or [[hexagon]] shaped.<ref name=Koch1608>''Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia'', ed. John T. Koch (Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2006), p. 1608</ref> On the front was usually a hollow wood shield [[:en:wikt:boss|boss]]{{efn|Also called a shield boss or ''umbo''.<ref>Otto Maenchen-Helfen, ''The World of the Huns: Studies in Their History and Culture'' (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1973), pp. 253–54</ref>}} to protect the hand. The boss was usually elongated to make the shield stronger and was sometimes covered by a metal plate.<ref name=CW60/> On the inside of the boss hole was a handle to hold the shield. The shields were made of wood, usually oak or [[Tilia|linden]] (also called lime).<ref name=CW60/> Most often they were covered with leather. === Battle shields === Battle shields were often individually decorated with various [[:wikt:symbol|symbols]]. They were designed to be both light and strong. Celts used their shields defensively but also as an offensive weapon.<ref name=CW60/> A favorite tactic of a Celtic warrior was to strike the enemy with his shield.{{efn|This was an often used tactic with most medieval shields. The oval or round designs were used to