Gothic: Art for England 1400-1547, will be on display October 9, 2003 through January 18, 2004 at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Among the items exhibited will be the funeral shield of Henry V. Among the fabulous gold, silver and jewel-encrusted items on display in the V&A's new Gothic exhibit is a piece consisting of "wormy lime wood, flaking paint, horsehair and faded silk," that is one of the most interesting artifacts in the exhibit. It is the funeral shield of Henry V, which has been kept at Westminster Abbey since Henry's death in 1422. The shield in itself is a puzzle, since it does not bear Henry's arms but those of his stepmother, Joan of Navarre, leading researchers to believe that the shield may have been passed down from Henry's father.

To read more puzzling facts about the shield, visit the website.