A warrior's prowess Great warriors wore bells like these to let their enemies know they were coming. Like the warrior's reputation, whcih preceded him, the ringing of these bells struck fear into the hearts of his foes. Bells also summonded spiritual forces to protect the warrior when he faced his enemies. Although Benin armies used guns and cannons for centuries, many warriors still fought with bows and arrows, spears and swords at the time of the British invasion in 1897. Shields woven from wooden strips, like this one, were common.