Definition of Adarga

The adarga was a hard leather shield used originally by the Moors of Spain, its name deriving from the Arabic "el daraqa". An important center of manufacture of the adarga was the city of Fez in Morocco, Africa. The adarga was typically made from the hide of the antelope and was extremely resistant to the blows of sword, lance and arrow, but other kinds of leather were used as well. Originally the adarga was round, then heart shaped, then finally it took the form of a pair of overlapping ellipses or ovals, measuring 69 - 80 cm. (27 - 32 inches) at its greatest length. Two or more layers of hide were glued and sewn together to make the adarga both rigid and elastic, and often decorated with incised and gilt ornaments, Moorish inscriptions, and metal appliques and borders.