Round shield "tafa gašša" ·  Ethiopia, Amhara · ID: 3050159

Description

hide, metal mountings, rest., handle loose

Possession of a fine shield among the Amhara was much like owning a sword, horse or a matchlock - items regarded with reverence among warrriors and chieftains.

Shields added weight to the owner’s importance and were often carried by young boys behind their masters at public meetings or gatherings. They were displayed as emblems of status or rank and also as accessories of dance during festival or commemorative ceremonies or after a victory.

As the Ethiopian empire grew in prominence after the Amharic conquests, gold embellishment began to appear on shields.

Particularly valuable specimens, covered with velvet and decorated with silver-plated or gold-plated fittings, were presented as valuable gifts to high-ranking visitors and friendly heads of state as early as the time of Emperor Menelik II (1889-1913).

The object Round shield “tafa gašša” with the object ID 3050159 was part of the auction 101st Auction on November 11, 2023. The object with the lot number 88 achieved a sales price of EUR 900 with an asking price of EUR 800.

You can find more Shields and other popular object types on our related topic pages. You may also be interested in our page on African art.

Comparing literature

Barbier, Jean Paul & Purissima Benitez-Johannot, Shields, Munich, London, New York 2000, p. 98, ill. 32