Posts: 1,504 Location: Brisbane, Australia
Tue 29 May, 2012 4:59 pm
Probably Indian. (Could be Persian, Afghan, Nepalese, Tibetan, Central Asian, Turkish, etc., but most are late Persian (Qajar) or Indian (or modern Pakistani). They still make them, for modern costume use, decoration, martial arts, and for sale as fake antiques. The usual name (i.e., the Indian one) is
dhal.
They vary a lot in size (from very small bucklers, to much bigger
shields about 2 feet across) and material (hide, steel, brass) and decoration (painted, etched, cut steel, embossed, enamelled).
Some info at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhal_Shield
The two thick cords are the handgrip - hold both in your hand. The thin cord is there to hang it up as a wall decoration.