Ethiopian swords

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by roanoa

As far as I know SHOTEL is not an Amharic word, rather it is from Tigrai and what is now Eritrea and it means BIG KNIFE. Amharic for sword is GORADE (actually spelled with the "O" and not the "U").

Thank you Ron! Not only good to see interest in the Ethiopian swords out there but to see you enter in. You were always my primary source for reliable data on Ethiopian weapons, and I still have the great paper you wrote on them years ago.

I think the idea that this European sword was Italian is that curious rise in the grip is an Italian characteristic in military swords on 19th c. (I think my source was 'Calemendrei' on Italian military swords not on hand at the moment).


The point I was making re: the use of shotel in classifying the European style bladed examples with the familiar hilt shape of rhino is due to the broader application typically occurring in collectors circles (the breeding ground for collectors terms) associating the hilt style.


While 'gurade' is of course proper for sword, it is transliteration and collectors use with these terms from different languages that contributes to the confusion. The use of 'big knife' and various applications for swords is a common occurence in a number of situations in many ethnic groups and cultures. For collectors, it is all the 'name game' in desperately trying to classify thier items......for students of arms, it is more cross referencing and broader descriptive explanation.

[kronckew]

If is recall correctly, the Ethiopean Imperial guard used a sword that looks much like a 1796LC or Blutcher with the Ethiopean Lion and amharic lettering etched, were generally carried in a fairly plain locally madeblack leather scabbard by the well dressed and properly western style dress-uniformed guardsman, who did NOT wear shoes. They ran, marched everywhere, at speed barefoot and I gather, quite good warriors. Just not enough of them. The OP's sword may have been captured from the Italians.

Here is the IMperial Guard Officers with more up-to-date British style swords. Our member Katana has/had one of the 1796 type...

[roanoa]

Well, my friends, I for one go a very simple rule when it comes to Abyssinian swords: shotel = sickle shaped; gorade = single edge curved sabre; se'f (saif) straight blade (including kaskara). This is accepted internationally by researchers and collectors. Then the unsolvable problem of the "Imperial Guards" swords. In Menelik II's times they were all over the place in terms of design and "European" origin. The most common one, and probably the "real" one, is the one with German blade with the inscription MENELIK and SAINT GEORGE. Locally made scabbard. In Haile' Selassie's times we start to see more identifiable pattern for which there is, at last, photographic evidence. THIN STRAIGHT blades with a peculiar inscription (LOVE YOUR COUNTRY - HONOR YOUR EMPEROR); lion head pommel with MULTI-BRANCHED guard and steel scabbard. Other patterns were used by the cavalry. Cheers.

[MUFASA]

very nice and interesting topic.... Thanks

[Kubur]

I have one who doesnt fit in the typology.
What should i do? Bin it??

[kronckew]

No, send it to me, I will give her a good home, hug her and squeeze her and call her Georgia Shotel.
(Gratuitous B. B. Leporidae reference):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzmlqJnlcn4

(It's been a slow day at home self-isolating)

[roanoa]

Can we have a close up picture of the ricasso? Is there a "star" stamp?