ANTIQUE AFRICAN AMARRO SHIELD ETHIOPIA

Description

Superb and rare example of a large antique late 19th early 20th Century A
MARRO
Ethiopian Hippopotamus hide shield.
This shield is known to be used by the riders with long spears in Central and Southern Region,  by Ethiopian groups, such as: Oromo, Arssi, Gurage, Hadiya and Wolayta.
It was made by a special craftsmen called: Chawa, Owada or Faki.
They obtain the raw material for there shields through their outcast hunter who lives on the shores of Lake Zwai, mainly hunting Hippopotamus.
This gorgeous almost round shield is made of Hippopotamus leather.
It has a pronounced central ridge surrounded by six raised lumps acting as a shield boss.
The shield is decorated with lines in relief radiating out from the central ridge, which are alternated with smaller bosses.
The outside of the shield is encircled by a partially jagged edge (with three holes for a carrying strap). The reverse has a thick semicircular leather handle affixed to the shield with leather bands.
This is a very attractive, highly decorative and collectable shield.
It has one large and two smaller old tears to the round surface which has been ‘sewn’ with leather bands (an old original repair).
These tears is probably a historic ‘battle wound’ caused by a blow from a spear or a sabre.
This shield is solid and in a very good antique condition.
Size: 29" x 27"
Lit.: ‘Shields. From the Collections of the Barbier-Mueller-Museum’ by Benitez & Barbier, p. 104, 105, ill. 35; ‘Afrikanische Schilde’ by Plaschke & Zirngibl, p. 69, ill. 59.
Please check out our other antique African
shields
and items which we will be posting during this week.