Ethiopian shotel

[werecow]

I am always puzzled by the use of the term shotel as opposed to 'gurade'. I have understood both to be terms used collectively for the sword in Ethiopia.

My understanding has been that the sickle shaped and forward/outward curved swords are labeled shotel whereas the saber bladed and straight bladed swords are named gurade. So yours would be a gurade (and a very nice one!).

Shotel:





Gurade:




And of course the Afar gile/jile:



That's my understanding of it anyway, but others may know more.

With respect to the hilt materials, while I have not been able to confirm this, I've read at least one source that claimed the light colored, yellowish hilts were made of giraffe hoof, whereas the darker horn may be either rhino or bovine. But then again, buffalo/cow horn comes in different shades so perhaps the giraffe hoof is just a bit of fanciful advertising. Both pieces of your grip look like horn to me, rather than wood.