But the study has revealed a host of new details and provided a framework against which new shield discoveries can be compared. Given only four shields were included in the analysis, it is difficult to provide any conclusive statements concerning chronological and regional variations. It is believed that this denser leather on the rim was used to deflect slashing attacks from bladed weapons, while the sheepskin front would keep the weight of the shield down. The most recent shield, from the Birka site, was the only one made with sheep leather instead of cattle, although it retained a cattle leather rim. The Latvian Tira shield was also not tanned, but appeared to have been treated to become water-resistant and hard. It also revealed that the later Baunegård leather was not tanned, but instead was stretched over the frame, and contained cinnabar traces. The findings showed that the Borremose shield was created from cattle skin and was possibly tanned using tannins from oak bark. The analysis also included finds dated to around 875 AD from Latvia. These include Borremose (near Aars in Denmark), dated around 350 BC, Baunegård (on the Danish Baltic island of Bornholm) around 250-300 AD, and Birka (a trading post near Stockholm in Sweden) around 900-1000 AD. The shields were all from archaeological finds in Scandinavia.
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