Abyssinian shotel for coment

Jim McDougall · 17th November 2007, 07:53 PM

Hi Rod,
Thank you the response and excellent information. With your reference to the Afar, it prompted me to recheck Burton ("book of the Sword", p.164-65) where he refers to the 'Dankali' (Danakil, which is also the term for the Afar region of Ethiopia). On the same page in fig.177 he shows a 'smaller Abyssinian blade' shotel with similar shallow recurve and median ridge blade profile as seen on the discussed example.
Interestingly on p.165, Burton shows an illustration on what is clearly a kaskara and is captioned 'Dankali sword'.
The kaskara of course is from the Sudan, however is well known among Eritrean weapons, and Ethiopian in degree, which would include Danakil or Afar regions.
The diffusion of weapons in these regions is well established, and clearly while certain forms are more distinctly seen with certain tribes and regions, a degree of use of the weapons of congruent regions is to be expected. It seems quite reasonable that the Afar would have used shotels with these blades, and in limited degree so that illustrations or direct association would be unlikely. I think your suggestion of possible use of these by Afar tribes near the Ethiopan regions you note is well placed and quite likely.

It seems that shotels with this shallow recurved blade were in existence at the time of Burton's research, well before 1884 so probably as early as mid 19th century, so the period of such blade form is established. With the Afar provenance, those tribes as well as those of northern Ethiopian regions may be considered in those who might have used them, and it would seem the form continued in use well into the 20th century.

I'm still hoping those who have collected Ethiopian weapons will follow the lead and contribute examples of the early sickle form shotel as well as those with trade blades of sabre form (Wilkinson, Solingen) and possibly gurades.

Thank you very much Rod !

All very best regards,
Jim

Rod Charters · 18th November 2007, 09:31 AM

Hi Jim thanks very much for the further comments as it clarifies for me the origins. It also brings up a lot more questions. Why was the shotel not more widely adopted by the Afar given that according to your research it had been used by the Afari as far back as Burtons time? It would seem a more effective figting knife / sword than the Gille. Was it because the spear was widely used by the Afari instead of swords? Which came first the Shotel or the Gille.

As for your points on the regionalisation of the weapons, why has the Gille been widely adopted by the Isse but not by the other Somali tribes who tend to favour the Billao? A theory I have on this last point is that the Isse have been expanding their territory at the expense of the Afar for decades, possibly longer, and whilst capturing this territory they have captured and adopted the weapons of the Afar? There are also questions on the origins of the Isse as they somehow lie outside the 5 major Somali clans.

Rod

Emanuel · 18th November 2007, 03:16 PM

Hi Jim and all,

Thank you for the great information. Rod it's interesting that you bring up the Afar connection; some time ago Ron had posted some swords from the Oromo and Galla groups and the swords looked like a cross between a shotel and a gile. Here is the thread http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=3245
Now the gile is still b eing produced and I saw pictures of Afar/Danakil tribesmen carrying a gile and an AK-47. It isn't hard to imagine that shotel were made well into the 20th century.

Best regards,
Emanuel

Jim McDougall · 18th November 2007, 08:27 PM

Hi Rod and Emanuel,
Thank you so much for the great responses and posing both excellent observations and further questions! Emanuel, thank you for the link to the thread on the Oromo/Galla shotels, which nicely illustrates more on the fascinating hybridization of the weapons of these regions. With reference to your questions Rod, on the manner of choice and adoption of weapon forms in these regions, I think the intense geopolitical and ethnic flux in these regions, which indeed continues to this day, may be the most likely reason for such selection in weapons.
While the Issa are in degree a subgroup of Somalia, in the regions where they are situated, such as Djibouti, I think that political or traditional inclinations might lean either toward the Afar (Danakil) of Ethiopia or conversely toward the primary Somali clans. This may prompt preference to the favored 'gile' or transitional form of shotel of Ethiopia or otherwise, to the favored 'belawa' of Somalia.
Although this line of thinking may seem simplistic, it does seem plausible, as tribal traditions and identity are passionately intense in these regions. This became quite evident to me some time ago with an Eritrean friend, who was emphatically of the Beja, and constantly spoke of the turmoil there.

It seems the gile was typically a secondary weapon, with the spear as primary, and with the same diffusion typical of these melding peoples, it would seem that adaption would develop a weapon form or its hybrids, to changes in warfare and strategy. With that the shotel, a sword, and the gile, a knife, probably evolved into the nebulous area of short sword/ large knife, like the distinct 'Khyber knife', and appeared in the form seen used by the Oromo/Galla.

The gile, like various dagger and knife forms, is today primarily a traditional element of costume in many cultures, and is worn as an accoutrement used in utility and combat as required, it seems to me. As Emanuel notes, many of these traditional edged weapons may be seen today, alongside the standard AK-47.

I'm not sure which came first, the gile, or the shotel, and it would be interesting to see other examples and hopefully early forms. It seems the first narrated reference to the shotel was mid 19th century, while the gile I dont know. I wonder what the etymology of these terms is?

All best regards,
Jim

paolo · 19th November 2007, 01:16 PM

My one has a little different shape. The hilt is in three parts (might be the darker two are horn) and the tang is riveted on the pommel. It was assigned by the former collector to the Galla tribe. May I have your opinion about it ?
Thank You
Paolo

Rod Charters · 20th November 2007, 07:28 PM

Hi Paolo its a very interesting and nice sword you have. I have not seen one like that before so difficult for me to comment. However I am posting below two knives with similar designed hilts (one I have posted previously). Neither are sickle shaped nor are they Oromo in origin. Both are from southern regions (probably wolliso and sidamo) although these tribes are somewhat closely related to the Oromo. One is a horn hilt and the other has an Ivory hilt. I am wondering if anyone knows where this hilt design may originate from and is it restricted to the Oromo related groups.

paolo · 20th November 2007, 08:10 PM

Hi Rod,
above all, the second knife's hilt looks very similar to that of my sword. Now I'm really curious to know more about its origin.
Paolo

19th November 2007, 01:16 PM	#5
paolo Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 173	My one has a little different shape. The hilt is in three parts (might be the darker two are horn) and the tang is riveted on the pommel. It was assigned by the former collector to the Galla tribe. May I have your opinion about it ? Thank You Paolo Attached Images

20th November 2007, 07:28 PM	#6
Rod Charters Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 48	Hi Paolo its a very interesting and nice sword you have. I have not seen one like that before so difficult for me to comment. However I am posting below two knives with similar designed hilts (one I have posted previously). Neither are sickle shaped nor are they Oromo in origin. Both are from southern regions (probably wolliso and sidamo) although these tribes are somewhat closely related to the Oromo. One is a horn hilt and the other has an Ivory hilt. I am wondering if anyone knows where this hilt design may originate from and is it restricted to the Oromo related groups. Attached Images

17th November 2007, 07:53 PM	#1
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,196	Hi Rod, Thank you the response and excellent information. With your reference to the Afar, it prompted me to recheck Burton ("book of the Sword", p.164-65) where he refers to the 'Dankali' (Danakil, which is also the term for the Afar region of Ethiopia). On the same page in fig.177 he shows a 'smaller Abyssinian blade' shotel with similar shallow recurve and median ridge blade profile as seen on the discussed example. Interestingly on p.165, Burton shows an illustration on what is clearly a kaskara and is captioned 'Dankali sword'. The kaskara of course is from the Sudan, however is well known among Eritrean weapons, and Ethiopian in degree, which would include Danakil or Afar regions. The diffusion of weapons in these regions is well established, and clearly while certain forms are more distinctly seen with certain tribes and regions, a degree of use of the weapons of congruent regions is to be expected. It seems quite reasonable that the Afar would have used shotels with these blades, and in limited degree so that illustrations or direct association would be unlikely. I think your suggestion of possible use of these by Afar tribes near the Ethiopan regions you note is well placed and quite likely. It seems that shotels with this shallow recurved blade were in existence at the time of Burton's research, well before 1884 so probably as early as mid 19th century, so the period of such blade form is established. With the Afar provenance, those tribes as well as those of northern Ethiopian regions may be considered in those who might have used them, and it would seem the form continued in use well into the 20th century. I'm still hoping those who have collected Ethiopian weapons will follow the lead and contribute examples of the early sickle form shotel as well as those with trade blades of sabre form (Wilkinson, Solingen) and possibly gurades. Thank you very much Rod ! All very best regards, Jim

18th November 2007, 09:31 AM	#2
Rod Charters Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 48	Hi Jim thanks very much for the further comments as it clarifies for me the origins. It also brings up a lot more questions. Why was the shotel not more widely adopted by the Afar given that according to your research it had been used by the Afari as far back as Burtons time? It would seem a more effective figting knife / sword than the Gille. Was it because the spear was widely used by the Afari instead of swords? Which came first the Shotel or the Gille. As for your points on the regionalisation of the weapons, why has the Gille been widely adopted by the Isse but not by the other Somali tribes who tend to favour the Billao? A theory I have on this last point is that the Isse have been expanding their territory at the expense of the Afar for decades, possibly longer, and whilst capturing this territory they have captured and adopted the weapons of the Afar? There are also questions on the origins of the Isse as they somehow lie outside the 5 major Somali clans. Rod

18th November 2007, 03:16 PM	#3
Emanuel Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,242	Hi Jim and all, Thank you for the great information. Rod it's interesting that you bring up the Afar connection; some time ago Ron had posted some swords from the Oromo and Galla groups and the swords looked like a cross between a shotel and a gile. Here is the thread http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=3245 Now the gile is still b eing produced and I saw pictures of Afar/Danakil tribesmen carrying a gile and an AK-47. It isn't hard to imagine that shotel were made well into the 20th century. Best regards, Emanuel

18th November 2007, 08:27 PM	#4
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,196	Hi Rod and Emanuel, Thank you so much for the great responses and posing both excellent observations and further questions! Emanuel, thank you for the link to the thread on the Oromo/Galla shotels, which nicely illustrates more on the fascinating hybridization of the weapons of these regions. With reference to your questions Rod, on the manner of choice and adoption of weapon forms in these regions, I think the intense geopolitical and ethnic flux in these regions, which indeed continues to this day, may be the most likely reason for such selection in weapons. While the Issa are in degree a subgroup of Somalia, in the regions where they are situated, such as Djibouti, I think that political or traditional inclinations might lean either toward the Afar (Danakil) of Ethiopia or conversely toward the primary Somali clans. This may prompt preference to the favored 'gile' or transitional form of shotel of Ethiopia or otherwise, to the favored 'belawa' of Somalia. Although this line of thinking may seem simplistic, it does seem plausible, as tribal traditions and identity are passionately intense in these regions. This became quite evident to me some time ago with an Eritrean friend, who was emphatically of the Beja, and constantly spoke of the turmoil there. It seems the gile was typically a secondary weapon, with the spear as primary, and with the same diffusion typical of these melding peoples, it would seem that adaption would develop a weapon form or its hybrids, to changes in warfare and strategy. With that the shotel, a sword, and the gile, a knife, probably evolved into the nebulous area of short sword/ large knife, like the distinct 'Khyber knife', and appeared in the form seen used by the Oromo/Galla. The gile, like various dagger and knife forms, is today primarily a traditional element of costume in many cultures, and is worn as an accoutrement used in utility and combat as required, it seems to me. As Emanuel notes, many of these traditional edged weapons may be seen today, alongside the standard AK-47. I'm not sure which came first, the gile, or the shotel, and it would be interesting to see other examples and hopefully early forms. It seems the first narrated reference to the shotel was mid 19th century, while the gile I dont know. I wonder what the etymology of these terms is? All best regards, Jim

20th November 2007, 08:10 PM	#7
paolo Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 173	Hi Rod, above all, the second knife's hilt looks very similar to that of my sword. Now I'm really curious to know more about its origin. Paolo