Unknown artist

The Villanovans are often characterized as warrior-farmers. Using the various mines and metal ores at their disposal, they became experts in metalworking, equipping themselves with bronze weapons. A disc like this one would have been used as armor. It was either suspended in front of the warrior’s heart (thus the term kardiophylakes, or “heart protectors”) or inserted into a wooden shield that would be carried. These discs often included depictions of animals. The deer represented here might illustrate a local pride in indigenous fauna. The design of this disc, with its concentric circles and abstract patterns, was influenced by Greek Geometric style.