Ethiopian ''dhal'' shield ??

[francantolin]

Hello dear members,

Maybe in link with my other post about the african dagger,

I was today in a fleamarket and I found this old all waved leather shield 😁

I think/hope 19th century

Reasonable price so I bought it

Four iron bosses and eight smaller brass dots around.

For me it looks like an indian dhal shield ,
but the seller assured me that he took it back himself long time ago from Ethiopia...

What do you think ??

Kind regards

[roanoa]

The shield is from India. No argument there. It could have found its way to Ethiopia, possibly at the time at the Napier's expedition. Everything is possible. So, in my opinion, if you believe the seller, the correct identification would be: INDIAN SHIELD BOUGHT IN ETHIOPIA. Having said that, it is a nice old shield, Cheers. Ron

[Jim McDougall]

It is a good, solid Indian dhal, probably Rajput of course, and likely mid to late 19th c. The poor condition is historically wonderful!
How this ended up in Ethiopia is anybodys guess, if that indeed was the actual provenance...possibly the seller misremembered? This happens a lot with weapons acquired in groupings, even with museums.

As I have learned,it seems many people from India migrated to various African locations on the East coasts, and this might have been a family heirloom. Not sure of such extent in Ethiopia, but who knows?
Whatever the case, it is an Indian dhal, likely 19th c.

PS Roanoa we crossed posts

[francantolin]

Thank's a lot Dear Ron and Jim !!!

My feeling ( and few knowledge ) were right ,
For the seller opinion;
or an amazing trip adventure for the shield
Or ''a momentary lapse of reason'' / Pink Floyd 😅

Kind regards

[francantolin]

I was trying to identify what kind of leather it was made of,



It is not transluscent ( but the backnis blackened )but thick clear leather with ''granules'' under a layer of black lacquer (?)
Can it be rhino ? Hippo ? Buffalo...

Weight is 1,2kg and 42cm in diameter.