| After the Dark Ages the world was thrust
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| | could be attached and often times there
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| into a two hundred year period of
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| | was a leather flap covering this lantern.
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| incredible creativity and growth called
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| | The theory was that if attacked the
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| "The Renaissance". This creative force of
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| | wielder could throw open the flap and the
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| time brought about some wonderful
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| | light from the lantern would dazzle and
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| masterpieces. It also brought us some
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| | confuse the attacker. It was a bit of
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| really quirky and odd ideas. One of these
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| | psychological warfare thrown in to the
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| ideas was the lantern shield.
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| | mix.
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| The Lantern Shield originated in
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| | The use of the Lantern Shield
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| sixteenth century Italy. This was a time
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| | Generally, the lantern shield is believed
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| of the late Renaissance when creativity
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| | to have been used not for combat but for
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| was at its maximum and a lot of things
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| | walking around Italian cities at night.
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| were being created. One of the basic
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| | It was protection against ruffians and
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| tenets of creativity is that of fusion
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| | robbers more so than against combatants
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| where things are added together to make a
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| | in battle.
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| new thing. The Lantern shield is a good
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| | How effective was it as a weapon?
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| example of this fusion - taken too far.
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| | The effectiveness of the Lantern Shield
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| It attempts to create something that has
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| | in real combat is questionable but in the
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| defensive characteristics, offensive
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| | context of walking around a dangerous
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| characteristics and even a bit of
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| | city at night it does warrant some
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| psychological warfare!
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| | interesting conclusions. First off, it
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| What is a Lantern Shield?
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| | was probably very ominous looking and any
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| It is a small shield in the shape of a
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| | would be robber was probably inclined to
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| buckler and generally about a foot in
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| | just move on to the next victim. And if a
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| diameter. And this basic shield was
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| | combative situation arose the whole
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| turned into a veritable swiss army knife
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| | contraption was probably reasonably
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| of a weapon by the addition of a variety
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| | effective at staving off injury much in
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| of other things such as a gauntlet with
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| | the same way as a porcupine does! The
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| serrated blades. These serrations were
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| | addition of the lantern was also a strong
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| theoretically used to break an opponent's
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| | deterrent against attack because any
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| blade. There was also a long blade
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| | nighttime robber would just avoid the
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| attached to the shield that ran parallel
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| | illumination and exposure. So as a real
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| to the users shield arm. This could be
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| | weapon it was probably not very good but
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| used to thrust at an opponent. The shield
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| | as a deterrent it was probably reasonably
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| also often had spikes protruding from it
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| | effective. Any robber or ruffian seeing
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| which could be used as piercing weapons.
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| | someone carrying this thing would
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| But the most unusual thing about this
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| | probably just move on to the next victim.
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| weapon, and the thing that gives it its
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| | Will Kalif is the author of two epic
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| name, is the lantern. It had a hook in
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| | fantasy novels and is an avid fan of all
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| the middle of the shield where a lantern
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| | things fantasy and medieval.
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