Ethiopian Shield-Form Ornamental Disc

Coppery and nearly flat, with a lone peg and a small nick in the rim.

This shield-form ornamental brass disc is from Omo Valley, Ethiopia, East Africa, and dates to the 20th century. Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc, valued for its warm golden color and for the ease with which it can be cast, hammered and polished. Broad, round plate in reddish copper tones with one slim peg at the center. Two small holes sit at the top and two near the lower right. A dotted border follows the rim, which has one tiny split near the bottom. It is 0.75 inches deep and 4.8 in diameter.

Plain in the middle, careful at the edge.