as per the title, any attested evidence or reasonable idea as to how long these type of shields were used especially in Western Europe/Britain? Is it possible that Celtic central spined type shields were used later in the extreme West and Northern areas?
There is no evidence for spiked shields in Ireland at all. The one extant Iron Age example, which I wrote about in Slingshot some years ago, is a small one of wood and leather like the Caledonian shields on the arch of Severus (at least I think that's where they are depicted...)
Cheers
Mick
The defeated barbarian (German) on the stele of T Flavius Bassus (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Titus_Flavius_Bassus_(defined_edges).jpg) has a spined shield in the later C1st AD.
thanks Duncan....do we think this could go later in Britain?
I doubt it, the only British shields I know of that are spined are very early, and most of the examples from C1st BC or later seem to do without the spine. If there are any I can't think of them right now.
thanks Duncan, appreciated