Yeah, you pretty much had to go THROUGH a shield rather than around it. I remember one of those history programmes I watch far to much of metioning saxon dueling. Each was allowed no more than 3 shields, on the expectation that all 3 would be destroyed in a fight before the owner fell.
Traditionally shields were made of linden (Lime) wood although other timbers may also have been used such as Alder and Poplar. These timbers are not very dense and are light in the hand. They also have a characteristic in that they are not inclined to split unlike Oak. Also, the fibres of the timber bind around blades preventing the blade from cutting any deeper unless a lot more pressure is applied.
