Unusual Shotel

ericlaude · 28th January 2011, 04:55 PM

Good morning has all,
This Thread is for specialist of Ethiopian Shotel, if one of them can tell me more about this unusual shotel.
The strong handle is made in horn ( Rhino?), the pommel , the ferule and the guard are made in solid brass. its measre 36" Ovl 28" for the blade and large 2,2". It weighs 1,2Kg.
Thank you in advance
Best regards
Eric

ericlaude · 28th January 2011, 04:57 PM

Seconds pictures

VANDOO · 28th January 2011, 05:50 PM

A REMARKABLE SWORD. I WOULD SAY IT IS EUROPEAN MADE POSSIBLY GERMAN ,THE HORN HANDLE LOOKS MORE LIKE WATER BUFFALOW HORN NOT RHINO HARD TO TELL FROM THE PICTURES. IT DOES HAVE THE ETCHED AND BLUED BLADE WITH THE ETHIOPIAN ROYAL LION AS OFTEN SEEN ON IMPORTED GERMAN BLADES. IT INCORPORATES SOME TRUE ETHIOPIAN DESIGN BUT IS ARTISTICALLY MODIFIED TOWARD MOSTLY EUROPEAN DESIGN. VERY PLEASING TO THE EYE AND LIKELY ONE OF A KIND. WITH BETTER PICTURES PERHAPS SOMEONE CAN READ THE INSCRIPTION ON THE BLADE.
MY GUESS IS THIS WAS SPECIALLY MADE TO BE PRESENTED TO A PERSON OF IMPORTANCE IN ETHIOPIA. PERHAPS THE INSCRIPTION MAY SHED SOME LIGHT ON WHO MADE IT OR WHO IT WAS PRESENTED TO. GOOD LUCK

DaveS · 28th January 2011, 07:49 PM

Definitly the best i have ever seen!!!!!!!!!!!!. What a find!!!!!!......Dave.

Battara · 29th January 2011, 03:29 AM

WW!

roanoa · 29th January 2011, 05:52 AM

Absolutely fantastic piece. Trade? Sell? Just asking.... The inscription on the blade is backwards. Flip it 180 and it will read ITIYOPIA: TEBETSEHE: IDEWIHA: BEIGHEZEE'EBIHER:: That is: Ethiopia reaches out to to God.
It is one of the most common inscription found. It is written in Ge'ez: the ancient language used by the Ethiopian Coptic Church. The faces are those of Menelik II, Zewuditu (Empress) and (this is a guess..) Lij Eyasu. I have seen (and have one myself) some straight bladed SAIF swords with the same faces and inscription. I would say these blades are German. But...?? British is another guess. I will venture to say that the hilt was retrofitted. Maybe at the factory itself so that the blade could be handled. By the way, the hilt was mounted backwards as the shotel will have the tip pointing towards the opponent. Also, the red felt spacer would not make sense on a leather scabbard. Then again, I doubt this blade ever had a scabbard. Hilt looks Victorian. Not rhino. In any case, it is wonderful.

ericlaude · 29th January 2011, 10:56 AM

For the moment, just asking and showing, many thanks for yours reply, I will showing more details of the faces.

Mauro · 29th January 2011, 11:30 PM

Hello everybody, very nice shotel. Regarding the blade it could also be French: difficult to say. Roanoa is right that the same trylogy (Menelik, Eyasu and Taitu) is found also in other blades from England or Germany. However, the pommel with this classic head also has a French smell with this Greek hero and a classic helmet. The helmet has what appers to be a falcon but I do not see well if there is also a snake. It would be necessary a detailed photo on this part. On the side of the helmet seems that there is a sphinx. My knowledge of classics are not strong enough to recognize the God depicted in the Pommel. The falcon and the snake are sacred to Horus and Horus is compared to Apollo but this is only a supposition. France ??

Martin Lubojacky · 30th January 2011, 08:55 PM

Exquisite blade !!!
As far as the handle is concerned, I think there are two possibilities - either made as it is as a gift for some of the Rases, or replacement /?/(two blades similiar to this (gilded) which I have seen had handles made of top grade reddish rhino horns...)
(Roanoa, I cannot read geez, but I often heard another, maybe liberal translation: "And Ethiopia reaches out its hands skywards" - which should be citation from

Martin Lubojacky · 30th January 2011, 08:59 PM

sorry - finger slipped on keyboard, so:
...which should be citation from the New Testament. Or is it totaly another woprding?)

28th January 2011, 04:55 PM	#1
ericlaude Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 187	Unusual Shotel Good morning has all, This Thread is for specialist of Ethiopian Shotel, if one of them can tell me more about this unusual shotel. The strong handle is made in horn ( Rhino?), the pommel , the ferule and the guard are made in solid brass. its measre 36" Ovl 28" for the blade and large 2,2". It weighs 1,2Kg. Thank you in advance Best regards Eric Attached Images

28th January 2011, 04:57 PM	#2
ericlaude Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 187	Seconds pictures Attached Images

28th January 2011, 05:50 PM	#3
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	A REMARKABLE SWORD. I WOULD SAY IT IS EUROPEAN MADE POSSIBLY GERMAN ,THE HORN HANDLE LOOKS MORE LIKE WATER BUFFALOW HORN NOT RHINO HARD TO TELL FROM THE PICTURES. IT DOES HAVE THE ETCHED AND BLUED BLADE WITH THE ETHIOPIAN ROYAL LION AS OFTEN SEEN ON IMPORTED GERMAN BLADES. IT INCORPORATES SOME TRUE ETHIOPIAN DESIGN BUT IS ARTISTICALLY MODIFIED TOWARD MOSTLY EUROPEAN DESIGN. VERY PLEASING TO THE EYE AND LIKELY ONE OF A KIND. WITH BETTER PICTURES PERHAPS SOMEONE CAN READ THE INSCRIPTION ON THE BLADE. MY GUESS IS THIS WAS SPECIALLY MADE TO BE PRESENTED TO A PERSON OF IMPORTANCE IN ETHIOPIA. PERHAPS THE INSCRIPTION MAY SHED SOME LIGHT ON WHO MADE IT OR WHO IT WAS PRESENTED TO. GOOD LUCK Last edited by VANDOO; 28th January 2011 at 10:35 PM.

29th January 2011, 05:52 AM	#6
roanoa Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 233	Absolutely fantastic piece. Trade? Sell? Just asking.... The inscription on the blade is backwards. Flip it 180 and it will read ITIYOPIA: TEBETSEHE: IDEWIHA: BEIGHEZEE'EBIHER:: That is: Ethiopia reaches out to to God. It is one of the most common inscription found. It is written in Ge'ez: the ancient language used by the Ethiopian Coptic Church. The faces are those of Menelik II, Zewuditu (Empress) and (this is a guess..) Lij Eyasu. I have seen (and have one myself) some straight bladed SAIF swords with the same faces and inscription. I would say these blades are German. But...?? British is another guess. I will venture to say that the hilt was retrofitted. Maybe at the factory itself so that the blade could be handled. By the way, the hilt was mounted backwards as the shotel will have the tip pointing towards the opponent. Also, the red felt spacer would not make sense on a leather scabbard. Then again, I doubt this blade ever had a scabbard. Hilt looks Victorian. Not rhino. In any case, it is wonderful. Attached Images Last edited by roanoa; 29th January 2011 at 06:08 AM.

29th January 2011, 10:56 AM	#7
ericlaude Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 187	For the moment, just asking and showing, many thanks for yours reply, I will showing more details of the faces. Attached Images Last edited by ericlaude; 29th January 2011 at 04:26 PM.

28th January 2011, 07:49 PM	#4
DaveS Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 327	Definitly the best i have ever seen!!!!!!!!!!!!. What a find!!!!!!......Dave.

29th January 2011, 03:29 AM	#5
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,219	WW!

29th January 2011, 11:30 PM	#8
Mauro Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 83	Hello everybody, very nice shotel. Regarding the blade it could also be French: difficult to say. Roanoa is right that the same trylogy (Menelik, Eyasu and Taitu) is found also in other blades from England or Germany. However, the pommel with this classic head also has a French smell with this Greek hero and a classic helmet. The helmet has what appers to be a falcon but I do not see well if there is also a snake. It would be necessary a detailed photo on this part. On the side of the helmet seems that there is a sphinx. My knowledge of classics are not strong enough to recognize the God depicted in the Pommel. The falcon and the snake are sacred to Horus and Horus is compared to Apollo but this is only a supposition. France ??

30th January 2011, 08:55 PM	#9
Martin Lubojacky Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Czech Republic Posts: 841	Exquisite blade !!! As far as the handle is concerned, I think there are two possibilities - either made as it is as a gift for some of the Rases, or replacement /?/(two blades similiar to this (gilded) which I have seen had handles made of top grade reddish rhino horns...) (Roanoa, I cannot read geez, but I often heard another, maybe liberal translation: "And Ethiopia reaches out its hands skywards" - which should be citation from

30th January 2011, 08:59 PM	#10
Martin Lubojacky Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Czech Republic Posts: 841	sorry - finger slipped on keyboard, so: ...which should be citation from the New Testament. Or is it totaly another woprding?)