Ethiopian shotel

[DaveA]

Here is shotel in my collection. It is a well-forged, double-sided sword 31 1/4 inches in length with a 27 inch curved blade. The blade is flat with diamond cross-section. The hilt is wooden with a copper disk at the pommel. The typically-colored red leather scabbard has decorative designs from top to bottom on both sides and is in good condition although very stiff.

Dave A.

[Jim McDougall]

Thank you very much guys, especially for adding these additional examples! It is great to put together perspective on these from those who specialize and collect in these areas. While the terminology issue is of course important, one thing that puzzles me as well as how to determine the approximate age or period, especially the curved form.
I have always thought of those as earlier into the mid to late 19th c. but I have seen hints at use well into 1930s.

The greatest mystery with these of course is the idea of these reaching around the shields to wound the opponent, while many accounts discount this.

Patterson thank you for that unusually long example, and Dave very nice one! Was the red coloring something was particular significance? It seems the 'seme' with the Massai often had red colored scabbards as well.

Another thing brought up is the knife/sword 'gile' (jillie)of the Afar people, and how they are of course associated with these.

[Martin Lubojacky]

As for the age, I believe that older shotels or jile/gile-swords than from the second third of the 19th century have not survived (maybe in some museums?), and I would welcome any evidence to the contrary. I also think they were used roughly until the 1940s – see, for example, the photograph of Tigray people with a shotel in hand from 1935.

Jile/gile daggers (not swords) are still "used" (basically more or less as part of the traditional costume...). Over time their shape also changed slightly – see the photo from a celebration in Addis Ababa (December 2018) and the old photo of the Afars. These daggers were/are used by several ethnic groups, not only by the Afar themselves but also, for example, by the Kereyu, Itu, and others. Accordingly, the decoration, especially of the scabbards and hilts, could vary, but only a little . Jile/gile used by the Issa group also differed in that they were narrower and longer, and the lower part of the hilt slid into the scabbard – see the photo of the Issa from the desert. I am also attaching an approximately 15-year-old photo of several pieces from my collection.

As far as gile-sword is concerned, I have seen a jile/gile-sword with people in an old photo only once (whereas old photos of shotels with people several times; perhaps the shotel was more common ??) - unfortunately I do not have that picture. I believe it also dates to the 1930s–1940s.

As for the red colour, shotel scabbards and gorade scabbards made of thick rawhide were often covered with fine red “goatskin” with embossed patterns. In my opinion this was purely decorative and had nothing to do with Maasai swords.

[Changdao]

Originally Posted by Martin Lubojacky

As for the age, I believe that older shotels or jile/gile-swords than from the second third of the 19th century have not survived (maybe in some museums?), and I would welcome any evidence to the contrary. I also think they were used roughly until the 1940s – see, for example, the photograph of Tigray people with a shotel in hand from 1935.

Jile/gile daggers (not swords) are still "used" (basically more or less as part of the traditional costume...). Over time their shape also changed slightly – see the photo from a celebration in Addis Ababa (December 2018) and the old photo of the Afars. These daggers were/are used by several ethnic groups, not only by the Afar themselves but also, for example, by the Kereyu, Itu, and others. Accordingly, the decoration, especially of the scabbards and hilts, could vary, but only a little . Jile/gile used by the Issa group also differed in that they were narrower and longer, and the lower part of the hilt slid into the scabbard – see the photo of the Issa from the desert. I am also attaching an approximately 15-year-old photo of several pieces from my collection.

As far as gile-sword is concerned, I have seen a jile/gile-sword with people in an old photo only once (whereas old photos of shotels with people several times; perhaps the shotel was more common ??) - unfortunately I do not have that picture. I believe it also dates to the 1930s–1940s.

As for the red colour, shotel scabbards and gorade scabbards made of thick rawhide were often covered with fine red “goatskin” with embossed patterns. In my opinion this was purely decorative and had nothing to do with Maasai swords.

Regarding old photographies with gile, there are actually quite a few. These are three, but there are more.

[Jim McDougall]

Martin, I cannot thank you enough for going into such detail with this information. I have always had to rely on the few references I have to find any data on these arms, which as I have noted are not areas I have studied in any notable degree.

Having your insights is most valuable, and trust me I am feverishly taking notes! I truly admire your expertise, and Changdao your input as well! you guys are a great team.

I hope more examples will come up here, and that this thread will evolve into a comprehensive look into the swords of these regions. These kinds of threads with focused discussion are what these forums are all about!

[roanoa]

Hi everyone. The FORUM holds a lot of information about Ethiopian swords. All you have to do is to search for it. It's there. Many of the questions have been answered more than once.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by roanoa

Hi everyone. The FORUM holds a lot of information about Ethiopian swords. All you have to do is to search for it. It's there. Many of the questions have been answered more than once.

Well noted, there is indeed a great deal of information archived here and while I recall most of it having been here from the beginning, it must be remembered that it was a process of evolution. It was always amazing to see many types of arms presented, more examples shown, often intense discussions, and quite often long standing mysteries solved in degree.

However these days many of those dynamic contributors and participants are no longer around on these pages, and things get pretty quiet. Sometimes I see a response to a thread from years ago bumped by a simple note, and when I see the heading and often realize the thread was last active years before, some even over a decade.

While great to see old threads revitalized, especially with new examples and evidence, sometimes it seems worthwhile to start new threads on topics which are of course of notable vintage, but with a 'fresh start' (so to speak).

Clearly the archived material here is easily accessible, but while of course questions often have been asked and discussed, sometimes a fresh start is productive, especially as these days there are many new 'players' , and frankly in most cases those from old threads are often long gone to other venues.

On that note, its REALLY good to see you posting, and you were always one of the most notable specialists contributing on the subject of these weapons.
While I have always used the SEARCH function as I research, my goal was to instigate new discussion as noted.