An Unusual Ethiopian Short Sword

derek · 26th March 2005, 10:52 PM

800 million?? Man, people must be tripping over them.....

Thank you for posting the info. I've wondered about that coin popping up on Abyssinian swords for some time now.

Here is an ended auction with a couple of interesting fellows (the spears are nice too). They look a lot like mine, but less ornate:

6517797165

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=6517797165

These don't pop up much. At least I haven't seen them often. Is this a style that someone has seen documented?

-Derek

Jim McDougall · 28th March 2005, 03:16 PM

Hi Derek,
As I look at this interesting weapon I think of Arabian janbiyyas from the Hijaz (sabik) as well as the 'gile' from Danakil regions. There seem to be pronounced influences from the Moroccan koummya as well, especially in the fretted scabbard and the element at the tip resembling the 'thum' on these as well as other janbiyya.
I would consider this possibly from Djibouti in Afars and Issas territory or Somalia, where both Abyssinian and Moroccan influences confluence via Red Sea trade routes. It seems that in earlier research it has become apparant that Morocco, although essentially transcontinental geographically, had significant trade ties both maritime and via trans-Saharan caravan routes.The so called 'Zanzibar' swords ('I' form hilt) as seen in Burton I have found to actually be s'boula from Morocco (Buttin) and are found in Ethiopia as well only in very limited occurence. It is interesting also that the curious so called Berber sabres with oddly profiled tip sabre blades have scabbards similar to the perpandicular appendage on Ethiopian sword seen in Spring, "African Arms & Armour".
This example seems earlier to mid 20th c. as the bands in the hilt seem to suggest that but I cannot expand further on that speculation.
Best regards,
Jim

ariel · 28th March 2005, 03:50 PM

"One Uzbekistan sword I have was purchased by a Michigan college professor from a camel caravan camped outside of Jerusalem in the early 1990's, indicating that some old ways continue on, even today.
Mike "

Mike,
Can you post pics of that one ? I am very interested to see it!!!

Conogre · 29th March 2005, 05:31 PM

I was away for a couple of days, guys, sorry, and e-mailed the photos directly to Ariel.
It's a contemporary piece, nice for what it is, but nothing like the older pieces so I'll not unintentionally hijack another thread with it! **grin**
Derek, a question if I may...how do you explain the bakelite hilt on the one gurade with the Solingen blade?
I'm not doubting you, just the opposite, but find it both curious and fascinating.
I have to admit to being extremely envious of all of these beauties....very well done!
Mike

derek · 31st March 2005, 03:14 AM

Mike,

I don't know, but it's one of two that I have with bakelite grips cast in the "traditional" style. Most others were all hilted locally in horn or wood. Likewise, many times the scabbard was made locally (often of relatively poor quality).

It must not have been too uncommon to find european manufactured hilts though, because many european military style sabres were imported, completely assembled, into Abyssinia. I have just one example (below), but I have seen many, including a fine one sitting in a large frame in Radu's home.

roanoa · 17th July 2005, 12:16 AM

Derek, thanks for the dagger. As you can see, I already had a very similar one. Same style of blade. Horn grip (much cruder) with an ITALIAN Fascist time coin as a capstan. Now, it's interesting for me to see that both scabbards are made with the terminal part of a sword scabbard. My old one is made of brass and covers a regular red leather scabbard. I have the feeling that the leather part is also part of the original sword scabbard. The brass is machine stamped with the same pattern found in the brass decoration of shields. The one I got from you is made of German silver and it basically copy the same pattern, though it is clearly hand made. I think that it may have had a leather insert as well. The blade seems to be of good quality and it may be part of the original sword blade. In short, these two daggers (I would not call them short swords) witness the practice of salvaging broken weapons. Most likely they were the weapons of enemies killed in battle.

roanoa · 17th July 2005, 12:24 AM

Don't know why the pictures came out that small...

28th March 2005, 03:16 PM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,590	Hi Derek, As I look at this interesting weapon I think of Arabian janbiyyas from the Hijaz (sabik) as well as the 'gile' from Danakil regions. There seem to be pronounced influences from the Moroccan koummya as well, especially in the fretted scabbard and the element at the tip resembling the 'thum' on these as well as other janbiyya. I would consider this possibly from Djibouti in Afars and Issas territory or Somalia, where both Abyssinian and Moroccan influences confluence via Red Sea trade routes. It seems that in earlier research it has become apparant that Morocco, although essentially transcontinental geographically, had significant trade ties both maritime and via trans-Saharan caravan routes.The so called 'Zanzibar' swords ('I' form hilt) as seen in Burton I have found to actually be s'boula from Morocco (Buttin) and are found in Ethiopia as well only in very limited occurence. It is interesting also that the curious so called Berber sabres with oddly profiled tip sabre blades have scabbards similar to the perpandicular appendage on Ethiopian sword seen in Spring, "African Arms & Armour". This example seems earlier to mid 20th c. as the bands in the hilt seem to suggest that but I cannot expand further on that speculation. Best regards, Jim Last edited by Jim McDougall; 28th March 2005 at 08:40 PM.

17th July 2005, 12:16 AM	#6
roanoa Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 241	Derek, thanks for the dagger. As you can see, I already had a very similar one. Same style of blade. Horn grip (much cruder) with an ITALIAN Fascist time coin as a capstan. Now, it's interesting for me to see that both scabbards are made with the terminal part of a sword scabbard. My old one is made of brass and covers a regular red leather scabbard. I have the feeling that the leather part is also part of the original sword scabbard. The brass is machine stamped with the same pattern found in the brass decoration of shields. The one I got from you is made of German silver and it basically copy the same pattern, though it is clearly hand made. I think that it may have had a leather insert as well. The blade seems to be of good quality and it may be part of the original sword blade. In short, these two daggers (I would not call them short swords) witness the practice of salvaging broken weapons. Most likely they were the weapons of enemies killed in battle. Attached Images

17th July 2005, 12:24 AM	#7
roanoa Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 241	Don't know why the pictures came out that small... Attached Images

26th March 2005, 10:52 PM	#1
derek Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 215	800 million?? Man, people must be tripping over them..... Thank you for posting the info. I've wondered about that coin popping up on Abyssinian swords for some time now. Here is an ended auction with a couple of interesting fellows (the spears are nice too). They look a lot like mine, but less ornate: 6517797165 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=6517797165 These don't pop up much. At least I haven't seen them often. Is this a style that someone has seen documented? -Derek

28th March 2005, 03:50 PM	#3
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	"One Uzbekistan sword I have was purchased by a Michigan college professor from a camel caravan camped outside of Jerusalem in the early 1990's, indicating that some old ways continue on, even today. Mike " Mike, Can you post pics of that one ? I am very interested to see it!!!

29th March 2005, 05:31 PM	#4
Conogre Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Clearwater, Florida Posts: 371	I was away for a couple of days, guys, sorry, and e-mailed the photos directly to Ariel. It's a contemporary piece, nice for what it is, but nothing like the older pieces so I'll not unintentionally hijack another thread with it! grin Derek, a question if I may...how do you explain the bakelite hilt on the one gurade with the Solingen blade? I'm not doubting you, just the opposite, but find it both curious and fascinating. I have to admit to being extremely envious of all of these beauties....very well done! Mike

31st March 2005, 03:14 AM	#5
derek Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 215	Mike, I don't know, but it's one of two that I have with bakelite grips cast in the "traditional" style. Most others were all hilted locally in horn or wood. Likewise, many times the scabbard was made locally (often of relatively poor quality). It must not have been too uncommon to find european manufactured hilts though, because many european military style sabres were imported, completely assembled, into Abyssinia. I have just one example (below), but I have seen many, including a fine one sitting in a large frame in Radu's home.