Classification

Northwester Asmat shields (B) have an elongated oval shape pointed upward. The front is divided into three sharply contrasting zones: the head, trunk (or body) and foot. The head part displays a visual representation of the incised decoration (stingrays, turtles, cassowary, etc.), which appears to be a manifestation of an ancestor and their soul. The center section is usually very rich in detail, but clearly organized  and carved in high relief. Stylized motifs of spirits, animals and plants refer to dead souls and headhunting. Lateral limit sign hull often carved filigree ornaments. The foot never has carved decoration.
The entire front of the shield is painted white, red and black. A flat white and red paint is also on the back, together with the fully carved handle. Most of the plate body is depicted on the edge with triangle perforation which is knotted into the tassels  from sago leaves.

In Central Asmat the shields have an elongated rectangular, slightly downward tapering shape. (A)  On the back is a double handle. The head part is not in relief, but crowned by sculpted cones, which symbolized as a “pars pro toto” or a representation of the penis of an ancestor.
Often, these cones are carved into a small ancestral figure or replace one ancestor head. This is also a reference to the recently deceased. The relief motifs of the torso portion are generally extensive and clearly structured to create and draw attention to head-hunt and the dead souls. The foot sections is void of any carving.  The entire body is sign on the front and back of white, red and black paint.

The shields in the inland regions of eastern and northeastern Asmat (C and D) can be categorized due to their height. They often reach over two meters high, exceeding the height of the rather diminutive stature of the inland Asmat.

In the east (C), the rounded head bears no relief decoration, but instead a white, red and black painting is executed in the form of an abstracted representation of the face. A vertical, Y-shaped element in the center is considered "front", the side surfaces adjacent are the "cheeks". The appearance of an ancestor face on the tapered head part of the shield from the northeast Asmat (D), is carved in relief with circular or spiral eyes, and often an elevated nose is seen.

In the first period after contact with the West, all Asmat shields were commonly known as simply 'Asmat shields'. Later, when the shields of the Brazza region were known, they are divided into Brazza shields and shields of the Asmat people in general. After further research, the classification has been extended. They were divided into shields from Area A, B, C and D (see below).

In 1995, the classification had to eventually be expanded to twelve, corresponding to twelve groups  Asmat, which each group having a recognizable and  distinct cultural characteristics. Nevertheless, there are also similarities between the groups, both in style and in the symbolic content.

1995 musste die Klassifizierung schließlich auf zwölf erweitert werden, entsprechend den zwölf Gruppen Asmats, die jeweils deutlich verschiedene kulturelle Eigenheiten erkennen lassen. Dennoch existieren zwischen den Gruppen auch Ähnlichkeiten, sowohl im Stil als auch im Symbolgehalt.