Ethiopian shotel

Jim McDougall · 23rd January 2026, 09:37 PM

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.

23rd January 2026, 09:37 PM	#11
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,822	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.