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Coming from a French private collection, an ancient leather Meru shield.
The Ameru are a community living primarily on the agricultural northeastern slope of Mount Kenya in the Eastern Province of Kenya.
The name "Meru" refers to both the people and the location, as for many years there was only one geo-political district for the Meru people. This changed in 1992 when the district was divided into three: Meru, Nyambene, and Tharaka-Nithi.
These people are unrelated to the Meru people in north Tanzania, other than that they are both Bantu-speaking. The Meru are primarily agrarian, with some animals. Their home life and culture is similar to other Highland Bantus. The Tharaka live in the dry desert area, a much harsher life than most Meru.
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The teeth are smiling, but is the heart ? 
