▁her ald ic ▁devices ▁during ▁the ▁High ▁Middle ▁A ges ▁for ▁purposes ▁of ▁battle field ▁identification . ▁Even ▁after ▁the ▁introduction ▁of ▁gun pow der ▁and ▁fire ar ms ▁to ▁the ▁battle field , ▁shield s ▁continued ▁to ▁be ▁used ▁by ▁certain ▁groups . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 8 th ▁century , ▁for ▁example , ▁Scottish ▁High land ▁f igh ters ▁liked ▁to ▁w ield ▁small ▁shield s ▁known ▁as ▁t arg es , ▁and ▁as ▁late ▁as ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century , ▁some ▁non - indust rial ized ▁pe op les ▁( such ▁as ▁Z ulu ▁war riors ) ▁employed ▁them ▁when ▁w aging ▁war . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁and ▁ 2 1 st ▁century , ▁shield s ▁have ▁been ▁used ▁by ▁military ▁and ▁police ▁units ▁that ▁special ize ▁in ▁anti - ter ror ist ▁actions , ▁host age ▁rescue , ▁ri ot ▁control ▁and ▁sie ge - bre aking . ▁ ▁Development ▁of ▁shield s ▁ ▁Pre history ▁The ▁oldest ▁form ▁of ▁shield ▁was ▁a ▁protection ▁device ▁designed ▁to ▁block ▁attacks ▁by ▁hand ▁weapons , ▁such ▁as ▁s words , ▁axes ▁and ▁m aces , ▁or ▁r anged ▁weapons ▁like ▁s ling - st ones ▁and ▁ar rows . ▁Sh ield s ▁have ▁varied ▁greatly ▁in ▁construction ▁over ▁time ▁and ▁place . ▁Sometimes ▁shield s ▁were ▁made ▁of ▁metal , ▁but ▁wood ▁or ▁animal ▁hide ▁construction ▁was ▁much ▁more ▁common ; ▁w icker ▁and ▁even ▁t urt le ▁shell s ▁have ▁been ▁used . ▁Many