There is Only One "Problem" with this Shield... (Ottoman Kalkan)
Vložit
- čas přidán 11. 04. 2024
- This is a remarkably versatile design... Can't decide between centergrip and strapped shield? Why not both? There are different ways to hold it, sling it over your shoulder, or even wear it on your back. It's remarkably light and comfortable to use.
What stands out the most are the extensive decorations. This is a beautiful collector's piece, and clearly plenty of attention to detail went into the craftsmanship.
** Where to find it **
www.etsy.com/ca/listing/16880...
Testing an undecorated version of this shield:
• This Destructive Shiel...
** Sources **
Original Kalkan
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
royalarmouries.org/collection...
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
Vietnamese rattan shield
www.mandarinmansion.com/item/...
Tibetan shield, 14th-16th century
www.metmuseum.org/art/collect...
** Music credits **
Outro:
"Highland Storm" by The Slanted Room Records
theslantedroom.github.io/stev...
Used with artist's permission
** Merch **
www.bonfire.com/store/skallswag/
If you want to join Bonfire to start selling your own merch: www.bonfire.com/welcome/07bb1...
** Support the channel **
Help fund future videos, get bonus content and access to an exclusive Discord server:
/ skallagrim
/ @skallagrim
Other ways to support the channel by shopping through affiliate links:
Kult of Athena, my favorite online store for reproductions of historical arms and armor, fantasy swords, etc:
www.kultofathena.com/?koa=259
Where to get HEMA gear and practice swords:
www.woodenswords.com/?Click=1799
Want to treat your face fluff? I highly recommend the balms and oils from Beard Sorcery:
beardsorcery.com/?ref=0UEFtHW...
Books about history, martial arts, swords, knives, video/audio equipment, and other stuff I recommend:
US - www.amazon.com/shop/skallagri...
Canada - amzn.to/2HeOCMA
** Second channel / other social media **
/ @skallhalla
/ _skallagrim_
/ skallagrimyt
/ skallagrim_yt
#skallagrim #ottoman #shield #reproduction #history #review - Zábava
If you're interested in how it holds up, here is the follow-up video where I test an undecorated version of this shield: czcams.com/video/HlHk2z3GtEQ/video.html
On the topic of combining the use of a shield and archery, what would be your opinion in regards to using a gauntlet shield (shield with integrated gauntlet where the gauntlet part sticks outside the shield part. Like a lantern shield, but without the extra fluff), wouldn't that be a viable way to use it?
"The scarf is made of knit" sounds like the description on a sketchy Alibaba page
Hah, it really does.
TRUTH! I've seen clothing that said the fabric type was "cloth" 😂
A guy in an arcade of shops in Syria tried to sell me a scarf that he said "Is cashmere. Is silk-cotton mix."
The scarf had a label on it that said, in Arabic and English: "100% polyester."
B@@Sableagle You think he knew?
Probably hoping any punters wouldn’t check…
This is the proof that archer character can use shield
And while mounted on top of a skittish horse too..
They were in mount and blade : fire and blood game. The horseback archers were using shields at the same time they shoot arrows just like he showed it.
@@fehmit160probably the only game I saw archers with shields
@@fehmit160 also in warband it's same lol
@@heroiccombatengineer6018Because those games are made by Turks 😊
Ottoman arms and armor can be soooo beautiful
In the 16th and 17th centuries, the entire East differed from Western Europe in the extraordinary richness and ornamentation of the equipment used. A special place was the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth where the military art of the West and the East met and was used in the service of the Polish kings. The material culture of Hungary and Poland was greatly influenced by the Persian and Turkish styles, producing their own original forms.
@@cetus4449 Not a lot of people know this but even the Polish winged hussars are inspired from Ottoman Delis.
@@cetus4449 It helped that the Hungarians offered the Turkic Cumans lands to settle if they became part of the Hungarian army. They were the biggest defense against the Mongols during the Mongol invasion. But then some Hungarian lords decided to kill the Cuman Khan and to use him as a scapegoat, hoping that killing him would appease the Mongols. This angered the Cumans who left (not so peacefully). Which then promptly led to the invasion of Hungary by the mongols who steamrolled the remaining Hungarian forces and the sacking of the Hungarian treasury. The Hungarian King then penniless begged the Cumans to return and offered them a giant chunk of Hungary to settle for their own in return for helping rebuild and defend Hungary. Which the Cumans did creating regions like Kunsag (Cumania in Latin and German). Over time they became Christians and assimilated.
@@3choblast3r4There is also the fact that the name hungarian is rooted from ongurs, a turkic group-that had close relationship with hungarians. Its also written that despite not always exact, byzantine empire reffered Geza I as “king of the land of turks” on his crown.
@@Huehue-qf1ri he doesnt even know arpad and his brother was Turk , Huns were Turk as well and 4 of Hun state even today symbolized as 4 start out of 16 in Tukish presidential seal , as well as cumans there are szekells too and dissolved tatars and pechenegs , even arpad whose byzantine mentioned him as prince of Turks sent there by khazar empire(another Turkish state) - that explains why hungarian plateu called Turcia in emperor porrpygenitos maps of 10th century
After decades of ignorance, I've finally learned what the term 'wicker' really refers to.
And, nice shield.
Only in the past year or so did I learn what a weed really is. I always thought it was a breed or type of plant.
I want one so I can be a Balkan with a Kalkan
Lmaaaoo
You mean ... a Janissary?
@@brainblox5629 don't ruin the pun
@@brainblox5629 actually this type of shields used by akinjis or sipahis.
hhahahahaha
I've never seen a shield that looks so comfortable.
I have looked at both Persian and Ottoman miniatures from the 15th (Persian, of Aq-Qoyunlu turkomans) and 16th centuries (Ottoman), and both show the use of these shields. They show up in different forms, and in different sizes. One interesting thing about them is the level of reinforcement that existed for them. There are examples of kalkan featuring iron bars and rims added to the wicker section to defend against slashing strikes.
This type of shield was known in a huge region of the world, from China to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and through the Ottoman Empire and Persia, to Arabia.
That was one thought I had. Reinforcement to keep pace with the sorts of weapons it would be expected to go up against.
@@cetus4449Many stereotypical depictions of Chinese people seem to show these worn as helmets .
I wondered if they didn't put a rim around the outside, not just for defence. Strikes would improve by a little bit of taper to the bike rim, or a tooth every 9 inches or so to add a little puncture damage to the shield strike
@@jodycarter7308there are wide variety of styles and materials including what you suggested. They have a huge collection of those in Harbiye military museum in Istanbul.
I'm not ready for this hard truth about the nature of wicker. I chose to live in denial.
You live in de-nile,
You get wet.
“I reject your reality, and substitute my own!”
Think of it this way: kevlar is a form of weave too, and it can stop bullets.
Yes individual strands of polyaramid fibers are very tough on their own, but their bullet stopping capabilities have a lot to do with how the individual strands are woven together too since the weave allows them to disperse the kinetic energy of a bullet over a large surface area.
*Menacingly approaches with a steel cable wicker shield*
de Nile? Perhaps you would prefer Papyrus then?
Yes, please get an undecorated one to test as hard as possible. I guess that these were meant to be somewhat destructable, like most other shields were too, but I also think they will hold up much better than most of us think.
Not sure if Ottomans soldiers have really used 100 percent this Shield it looked more like a Decorative item that a Rich Merchant would have hanged in his house. They used maybe similar looking ones with studier stronger materials and less Decorative but only guessing.
@@petermannheim6527 It should be noted that these wicker shields were not intended for use in heavy melee fighting. They are cavalry shields intended more for light cavalry or cavalry archers, and intended more as protection against arrows (the thick fabric covering the front and the back is intended to reduce arrow penetration). Of course the ones intended for actual fighting would not be this decorated, but they were also somewhat disposable - they were not intended to survive past a couple of battles, so they were of rather simple construction and cheap materials.
Wickering is a broad weave description. Its durability depends on both the material and the weave. You can get lightweight shields that are lighter than wooden shields, but poorer in protection to chinese-style ones which are heavier than wooden shields, tighter in weave and can basically withstand sidearms.
And then there's different types of weave from different cultures that have no connection with each other.
So to answer the question of rattan shield durability is like answering if metal armor works.
What kind of metal? What kind of construction? Chainmail? Lamellar? Plate?
@@petermannheim6527 those shields were used by both shock and skirmish cavalry of several countries in 17th century, so they must have proven their worth
@@nothing461 I dont mean that this style of shields didnt get used i mean that i dont buy this materials. The guy didnt use the shield and the decoration wool got of. But i think he showed pictures of shields that looked like they had less decorative elements i believe they used this kind of. The guy needs a horse and bow and shield too show it really^^.
I see Skallagrim video, I watch the whole thing.
Test the shield!
Oooo I agree I'd love to see it tested
Me too! Non-metal weapons and armor are always interesting, especially in serious test.
+1
Interested in the failure modes of wicker
@@eledgy It's surprisingly tough and rather springy.
Noo
Wow, this is the prettiest shield I ever saw.
Hell yeah get the other shield to test! 😎👍
Agreed, I really want to see how it stacks up in use, the construction is something I've never seen tested at all, nor read any historical accounts I can recall and being sort of like a buckler, sort of like a strap shield etc is interesting and perhaps enables some novel uses with how easy it looks to shift use style (though that is less unique).
Though for me the real question is does it actually have the toughness and stiffness of the European shields, would it perhaps be better at binding blades but generally less durable? Bend more easily do better at absorbing the impacts than deflecting them? Is it as effective at halting the arrow? And perhaps equally important is it easier to remove stuck arrows quickly? As while you'd rather have a new shield than keep a damaaged on obviously it has to be easier to fight with a shield full of holes but no arrows... So with how difficult to remove arrows have proven to be from other shield tests if the construction method here allows that bit more wiggle to pull it out or pull it through but does still effectively capture that high energy arrow...
Having too nice pieces in your collection is a must in any collection. Yes, a test would be awesome 👌
From the username I suspect you're into skateboarding?
The hobby must have a similar dilemma, with boards that have really nice graphics on them so you become reluctant to grind with them 😄
@sevenproxies4255 yes for sure 👍
@sevenproxies4255 yes for sure 👍
@sevenproxies4255 yes for sure 👍
Fun fact, early days of this shield (which when turks live as nomads at middle asia) they use similar shields to this one in terms of shape but without soft parts (or these parts are might be removebel) and in those days they use their shields like pans to. Cause of the dent in front the oil and water flowing from the meat were collected in the middle, and they would soak bread etc. Over time, as they settled down, the food they cooked turned into the street food we call tantuni in Turkey .
As a Turk ı didn’t knew that ahahaha
That's right.
I'd love to see practical testing of the shield
I second this. Not enough sheild test videos out there.
Testing would be a really good idea. Want to know how much a light shield can take.
I'd love to see practical testing of a shield that isn't as beautiful as this one 😅
@@ArkadiBolschek They sell a bare version. Probably a bit cheaper and better for pratical testing.
@@ilovemetal1100 Kalkans were designed to be light yet great at stopping arrows and similar projectiles. They were made of wooden rods tied very tightly together with many layers of thread, meaning any arrow that hits such a shield should be stopped dead by the pressure.
he talks exactly like a bazaarman who wants to sell you this shield
Holy shit, that's gorgeous!
They're willing to send a blank one for testing? Absolutely I would love to see that. Tests in sparring against blunts as well as tests against sharps! That would be marvelous :)
Yes, I would like to see more videos on the topic of HOMA (historical Ottoman martial arts) :)
The ottomans were part of europe
Yeah, I would love to see tests.
I didn't know a kalkan can be using with so many ways. Very tactical and practical, easy to use. It can be using with a bow and even on horseback with a bow. Actually this is pretty OP. Very impressive.
Can't forget that the kalkan was also a shield used by the Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth, Hungry and Cossacks. Also I heard the stories of those shields stopping early guns, I think I even saw a video of someone testing it and it stopped an early musket round. So apparently they were very protective and easy to repair but they get damaged very easily.
Kazaklar da bizim soydaşımızdır. Türkiye den selam
@@ALTAYLI-HANknk bunların dediği kozak kazaklardan farklı
@@mertaydnlk8343 çeviri yapınca kazak diye çevirdi:D
@@ALTAYLI-HAN yok kozak bunlar ukraynalıların ataları
@@ALTAYLI-HANyou are obviously from Kazakhstan, so please don't speak in our name
I would love to see you cover more Indo-Persian, Turkish, and African arms and armor! Thank you for making this video about the Kalkan! I always wanted to learn more about the Kalkan and especially about how it’s held.
such a gorgeous shield! defiantly get that blank and STRESS TEST IT!!
I’d really like to see a sparring test with that plain one they offered you. It looks really interesting to try with a two handed spear, or other polearms, as well as a few different swords
Nice one: '...a scarf made of knit.'' cracked me up pretty hard. 😂😂😂
Would a scarf expert be a … knit wit?
Actually it's a very apt simile. Wicker is what they used to line wells. So dirt and rocks wouldn't fall in. It's also the best theory on how they moved the stonehenge rocks. Make a big wicker basket around the stones, shaped like the well, (that's where the archeologist got the idea; he was excavating a well) and roll em, if the wicker broke, they'd fix it, and keep going. They did tests with 1/10th size stones, they can be moved by one person.
A couple of years ago we had a sword and cape course, so I had to make myself a cape.
Since it was coming along nicely I added a cool baroque inlay on the cowl, crimson laces and trimmings.
Now I have 2 capes, one for show and one for sparring
I've been fascinated with wicker shields lately. In antiquity, Thracian peltasts and Persians used wicker. Caesar claims that some Gauls used wicker shields. There is a medieval manuscript that depicts a wicker heater shield. The Irish (kerns mostly) used wicker, as well as some Scottish targes.
Irish people call themselfs Geilige which is similar to Ingushian ancient self name Galga. Some scientists state that Irish people come from Troy just like Etruscans.
The word Kalkan is selfname for real Caucasians - Galgai people who are now known as Ingushians. A.k.a. Kalkans, Kalka, Halha, Galga.
We are true alanians.
The river Kalka in modern Ukraine and Russia is named under our name. The river Galga in Hungary also named by our self name.
The Ingushians are very ancient people. We are known as people of towers like ancient Chaldeans. Troy was Ingushian. Etruscans were Ingushian as well, they spoke our language.
It is us who taught the Turks to use shield. That is how the Turks started to use word Kalkan for shield.
I have been a fan since 2015 I love how honest you are and how genuine you are. Please show more of this shield if you could! keep up the good work!
Yeah, his chill attitude is starting to endear me.
3:06 "You could even wear another shield" - well, you could argue that certain types of mirror armor are exactly that - a cuirass with a shield on top of it.
That armor was popular in the same areas that shields of this type were popular!
So you can wear two shields on you.
Then pick up a new shield in each hand, and you're good to go!
Oh, and yeah, I do wanna watch some shield testing!
Tests are always interesting, so yes please!
I love seeing you kick the shit out of stuff companies send you. Plus seeing the practical limits of proper shields is interesting.
I’ve been really interested in armies and cultures that valued horseback archery a lot, you end up finding a lot of similarities between them like this type of shield
I would absolutely love see testing with this! Ottoman arms and armor are some of my favorite that get vert little recognition
a very nice shield , who deserves to remain intact
Shields don't get enough love I'd love to see the plain e tested. I do love the Batman theme right after he says you can wear it like Captain America.
That strap system seems actually quite awesome! I might have to make a cheap diy copy and test it out. Edit: typo
You should definitely try shooting arrows and trusting at one with a spear. The ming dynasty ratten Shield Manual talks about how spears and arrows don't pierce through the ratten shields. I assume the one your holding was made with the same coil weave method and brushed with water or oil so it expands, making it water tight, which would also "possibly", make it less acceptable to piercing attacks. And frankly, I've been at an odds on whether the stuff in the manuls were true, so im pretty excited when you do a durability test.
Maybe a firing test first, shooting a bow while using the shield just to have commentary on how it handles, if it restricts the draw or aim.
Then the destructive tests
Another fine edition to your collection.
Holy smokes, that's gorgeous.
I'd love to see a test video on an undecorated shield. As other commenters have noted, shields were expected to be disposable, better they take the beating than your own weak, fragile, body. There were also wicker shields in the Scots and Irish traditions, I'm not sure what they were called in Scotland, but in Irish they are sciath (lit. "shield") and were more oval shaped and frequently covered with hide.
Also, +1 on the "scarf made of knit." You should put that on a shirt.
I love this! Would love to see more of this shield!
Okay, I fully understand why you do not want to scratch that up. It is as much of a work of art as it is a functional item.
Its basically flexing how rich you are at your enemies
Yes, please test. It's always great seeing such videos when you are able to make them.
"it's not wicker, it's rattan." ah, so instead of paper, it's cardboard!
*One Really Has To Admire Their Design & Details In Craft.* 👏
As a Turk in my childhood I always thought that all other people use the same type of shield. So I used to draw some comicbook chacters with that kind of shield. Obviously he was Captain America. His shield's inner side used to look like a Turkish shield
Shields are so cool, would love more shield videos in general!
At first glance I thought this would be in the $350-400 range, but not double! And I'm usually pretty good at eyeballing something and ballparking a price before knowing it's actual cost.
Same
Damn, now i want him to wear full ottoman armor and weapon set
this is my favorite Shield Ever, it even looks like could be weared as a Helmet. It looks suspiciously similar to Japanese and Vietnamese hats
Haha nice.
Wicke(r)d shield! Would love to see the other one tested
Test video, yes!
That shield looks amazing, especially how the lighting affects the pattern in 8:12
I'd love more about this kind of shield! There's so much content out there about longsword fighting and rapier/sidesword, but there's not much about shield fighting and it's techniques.
Love to see some appreciation for this influencial and versatile type of shield
I'd love to see you coop with an expert in the Art of War like Schwerpunkt. HEMA must talk more with military historians, especially the ones that really get the hard deal
bot comment
Wow what's with all these bots lol.
Good video though, that's an incredibly beautiful shield
i keep seeing the schwerpunkt bot on multiple history channels.
Oh wow! I love these shields! Im glad you got around to covering them!
What a lovely shield! I´m eager to have more of it on here!
how well does it hold up to strikes? how light is it?
Why are you so defensive?
Don't block me out 😢
Don't worry, sword reviews get a lot more offensive.
In Skall's defense though…
what a glorious looking shield. yeah i can't even blame you for not wanting to damage it even remotely.
If im not wrong ottoman soldiers has a hybrid style of hand to hand combat with "kılıç" on one hand and a free hand to grab/punch etc... this "kalkan" they used probably untill they close the gap with their enemies, avoiding from arrows/throwings and then as you showed they probably hang it to their shoulders and fight.
Pleasure to watch video, thank you for sharing 🫡
Dude this paired with a type of short sword would be amazing
The colors are just so nice on this one.
It would be *amazing* to see a practical test!
I've always been curious to learn more about wicker shields!
this shield is amazing, it does definitely look like something that cavalry or mounted archers would use
I think that a test with a undecorated shield would be awesome! I don't see enough shield and sword demonstrations and reviews and I'd be curious to see how this one holds up.
Of course we would like to see more tests
Yes please I would like to see more shields like this
Great video, amazing looking shield. Thanks for walking us through all the features.
I love this shield. I’d love to see how the rattan holds up in sparring and cut tests.
YES PLEASE , plain version for TESTING
I have always been interested to see how good these wicker shields are, so I would VERY much love to see you testing one that is not decorated.
Beautiful shield! Thanks a lot for showcasing it!
I have only ever seen antique kalkan (never repros), but they're lovely things.
This is so beautiful!
A test with the plain shield would be awesome!
It would be nice to see more sparring videos with shields used. Spears, axe, sword, etc.
Bros videos are always good, informatonal, and the accent just nails it together
Shield tests would be interesting to watch.
It’s always cool to see different gear from different times and places get tested out by the likes of yourself! I hope this can turn around and happen!
Very shiny.
I had some Cow silverware i put off using for the longest time.
What a beautiful shield. Can be used as a hat as well, I recon.
I wonder if some ottoman warriors had shields where the boss of the shield had damasceninng on it rather than paint. I bet that would look gorgeous.
There's a painful lack of shield testing on CZcams.
Yes, I watched your older stuff Skall, but I want more.
Beautiful Shield, great color combination!
I would like to see a test video with an undecorated version, but only if you use the decorated shield, 60s Batman transitions in that video as well. lol 🛡️
I got a plan one years ago to go with my Polish Hussar Reanactments. I know I would love to see one of these tested plus some of the others in the Polish Reanactment community.
I would very much enjoy seeing that style of shield tested. The green is gorgeous.
Great video as always
I'd love to see testing on the style of the shield. We've seen lots of other kinds, but not of this material and shape. It's gorgeous.
That's one beautiful shield! The golden on green just pops
I want to see more tests, and I really don't blame you; that is a beautiful piece.
That's definitely one of the most appealing shields I've seen
Its so pretty! love how the shield looks
I can imagine a less decorated one would sell well (with a significant price cut of course) and I do think it is necessary for them to start off with something a lot more decorated to gain attention
I'd definitely want to see the testing!
Love the classic TV Batman video cuts! Definitely an expensive wall-hanger in that form. Penetration test with arrows/bolts would be most interesting.
A thing of beauty!