African curved sword for discussion/comment ?

Jim McDougall · 4th January 2013, 03:00 PM

Ethiopia and Eritrea are indeed interesting regions, and Ethiopia (then Abyssinia) entered the Mahdist campaigns alled with Great Britain and Ottoman Egypt from 1885-89. The kaskara of the Sudan in well known in Eritrea as well as in degree in Ethiopia, and Beja Hadendoa tribal groups were well situated already in these regions. The shotel however did not cross diffuse into Sudanese regions, and I am not aware of Hadendoa using them.
The 'gile' was the shorter and heavier weapon which was used by the Afar in Danakil regions of Ethiopia.

The filigree and openwork seen on some of these weapons more decorative seem likely to have been the work of artisans associated with the brisk import trade from the Red Sea including Arab regions, much of which was situated in Addis Adaba and Harar both in Ethiopia.

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4th January 2013, 03:00 PM	#11
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,190	Ethiopia and Eritrea are indeed interesting regions, and Ethiopia (then Abyssinia) entered the Mahdist campaigns alled with Great Britain and Ottoman Egypt from 1885-89. The kaskara of the Sudan in well known in Eritrea as well as in degree in Ethiopia, and Beja Hadendoa tribal groups were well situated already in these regions. The shotel however did not cross diffuse into Sudanese regions, and I am not aware of Hadendoa using them. The 'gile' was the shorter and heavier weapon which was used by the Afar in Danakil regions of Ethiopia. The filigree and openwork seen on some of these weapons more decorative seem likely to have been the work of artisans associated with the brisk import trade from the Red Sea including Arab regions, much of which was situated in Addis Adaba and Harar both in Ethiopia.