The circular, convex ceremonial shield, referred to as a Dhal (so called as it resembles the shape of a lentil), is made from prepared hide and decorated with scenes from a Royal hunt painted in the Mewar style using gold pigment on a black background. Mewar painters are among the most skilled artists in the Indian miniature painting tradition and the workmanship is incredibly fine. The scenes include setting out in the early morning and bidding the bathing women farewell; the first kill of a boar and a deer; a climatic hunting scene depicting a tiger goring one of the hunters and the final triumphant procession home, a slain tiger laid across an elephant. In the centre is a sun motif with the face of a king sporting a large moustache and wearing rubies and pearls. The regal sun is surrounded by four carved ivory lotus-shaped bosses edged with metal foliate designs and fixed on the black lacquered reverse with iron rings for attaching the enarms which, together with a pad, are covered in blue velvet.
