▁a ▁piece ▁of ▁personal ▁arm our ▁held ▁in ▁the ▁hand , ▁which ▁may ▁or ▁may ▁not ▁be ▁stra pped ▁to ▁the ▁w rist ▁or ▁for ear m . ▁Sh ield s ▁are ▁used ▁to ▁intercept ▁specific ▁attacks , ▁whether ▁from ▁close - r anged ▁weapon ry ▁or ▁project iles ▁such ▁as ▁ar rows , ▁by ▁means ▁of ▁active ▁blocks , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁to ▁provide ▁pass ive ▁protection ▁by ▁closing ▁one ▁or ▁more ▁lines ▁of ▁eng agement ▁during ▁combat . ▁ ▁Sh ield s ▁vary ▁greatly ▁in ▁size ▁and ▁shape , ▁r anging ▁from ▁large ▁pan els ▁that ▁protect ▁the ▁user ' s ▁whole ▁body ▁to ▁small ▁models ▁( such ▁as ▁the ▁bu ck ler ) ▁that ▁were ▁intended ▁for ▁hand - to - hand - com bat ▁use . ▁Sh ield s ▁also ▁vary ▁a ▁great ▁deal ▁in ▁thick ness ; ▁whereas ▁some ▁shield s ▁were ▁made ▁of ▁relatively ▁deep , ▁abs orb ent , ▁wooden ▁pl ank ing ▁to ▁protect ▁soldiers ▁from ▁the ▁impact ▁of ▁spe ars ▁and ▁cross bow ▁bol ts , ▁others ▁were ▁th inner ▁and ▁l ighter ▁and ▁designed ▁mainly ▁for ▁def lect ing ▁bla de ▁strik es . ▁Finally , ▁shield s ▁vary ▁greatly ▁in ▁shape , ▁r anging ▁in ▁round ness ▁to ▁angular ity , ▁proportional ▁length ▁and ▁width , ▁symmetry ▁and ▁edge ▁pattern ; ▁different ▁shapes ▁provide ▁more ▁optimal ▁protection ▁for ▁inf antry ▁or ▁caval ry , ▁enh ance ▁port ability , ▁provide ▁secondary ▁uses ▁such ▁as ▁ship ▁protection ▁or ▁as ▁a ▁weapon ▁and ▁so