▁a ▁small , ▁round ▁tar ge ▁that ▁was ▁partially ▁effective ▁against ▁the ▁fire ar ms ▁of ▁the ▁time , ▁although ▁it ▁was ▁arg u ably ▁more ▁often ▁used ▁against ▁British ▁inf antry ▁bay on ets ▁and ▁caval ry ▁s words ▁in ▁close - in ▁fighting . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century , ▁non - indust rial ▁cult ures ▁with ▁little ▁access ▁to ▁guns ▁were ▁still ▁using ▁war ▁shield s . ▁Z ulu ▁war riors ▁carried ▁large ▁light weight ▁shield s ▁called ▁I sh l angu ▁made ▁from ▁a ▁single ▁ox ▁hide ▁supported ▁by ▁a ▁wooden ▁sp ine . ▁This ▁was ▁used ▁in ▁combination ▁with ▁a ▁short ▁spe ar ▁( asse g ai ) ▁and / or ▁club . ▁ ▁Modern ▁history ▁ ▁Law ▁enfor cement ▁shield s ▁▁ ▁Sh ield s ▁for ▁protection ▁from ▁armed ▁attack ▁are ▁still ▁used ▁by ▁many ▁police ▁forces ▁around ▁the ▁world . ▁These ▁modern ▁shield s ▁are ▁usually ▁intended ▁for ▁two ▁broad ly ▁distinct ▁purposes . ▁The ▁first ▁type , ▁ri ot ▁shield s , ▁are ▁used ▁for ▁ri ot ▁control ▁and ▁can ▁be ▁made ▁from ▁metal ▁or ▁polym ers ▁such ▁as ▁poly car bon ate ▁Lex an ▁or ▁Mak rol on ▁or ▁bo P ET ▁My lar . ▁These ▁typically ▁offer ▁protection ▁from ▁relatively ▁large ▁and ▁low ▁velocity ▁project iles , ▁such ▁as ▁rocks ▁and ▁bott les , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁blow s ▁from ▁f ists ▁or ▁clubs . ▁Syn th etic ▁ri ot ▁shield s ▁are ▁normally ▁transparent , ▁allowing ▁full ▁use ▁of