Shotel
Encyclopedia
A shotel is a curved sword
originating in Abyssinia (ancient Ethiopia
). It looks very much like the Near East
ern scimitar
s. The curve on the shotel's blade varies from a curve similar to the Persian shamshir, to almost a semicircular shape. The blade is flat and double-edged with a diamond cross-section. The blade is about 40 inches in total length and the hilt
is a simple wooden piece with no guard. The shotel was carried in a close fitting leather scabbard
.
Since the earliest Damotian's(Damites) and Axumites there is evidence of the use of the Shotel both by mounted and dismounted warriors. After the Solomonic restoration of Atse Yikuno Amlak I the resurgent Emperors began to re-establish the Axumite armies. This saw its culmination in the reign of Amda Seyon I
. Ethiopian forces were armed with short and long swords such as the Seif and Gorade. The Shotel swordsmen known as Shotelai and organized in the Axurarat Shotelai comprised one of the elite forces of Amda Seyon's Imperial host. Along with the Hareb Gonda and Korem cavalry, Keste Nihb archers and Axuarat Axuarai lancers were said to be the forces that "..flew through the air like the eagle and spun on the ground like the avalanche", by a contemporary historian of Amda Seyon. Shotel techniques among others included hooking attacks both against mounted and dismounted opponents that had devastating effect especially against mounted cavalry. The shotel could be used to hook and rip the warrior off the horse. Classically the Shotel was employed in a dismounted states to hook the opponent by reaching around a shield or any other defensive implement or weapon. Its shape is similar to a big sickle
and can be effectively used to reach around an opponent's shield and stab them in vital areas, such as the kidney
s or lung
s. It is closely resembled by the Afar Gile. The similarity ends with the Gile having two cutting edges while the shotels upper edge is unsharpened and sometimes used braced against the users shield for strength. The Shotel and other Ethiopian swords are occasionally referred collectively in Geez as Han'e.
However, the mid-18th century European visitor to Ethiopia, Remedius Prutky, often uses the word shotel to describe a carving knife.
used a pair of large shotels as its primary weapons.
Kamen Rider Gatack
's Gatack Caliburs, in Kamen Rider Kabuto
, are designed after shotels, as well.
The weapon also makes appearances in the PlayStation
games Vagrant Story
, Kingdom Hearts
and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
, as well as the PlayStation 3
game Demon's Souls
and its sequel Dark Souls
.
Additionally, the massive multiplayer online games Final Fantasy XI
, Ragnarok Online
and Guild Wars
each feature a shotel as one of the available weapons.
Sword
A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...
originating in Abyssinia (ancient Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
). It looks very much like the Near East
Near East
The Near East is a geographical term that covers different countries for geographers, archeologists, and historians, on the one hand, and for political scientists, economists, and journalists, on the other...
ern scimitar
Scimitar
A scimitar is a backsword or sabre with a curved blade, originating in Southwest Asia .The Arabic term saif translates to "sword" in general, but is normally taken to refer to the scimitar type of curved backsword in particular.The curved sword or "scimitar" was widespread throughout the Muslim...
s. The curve on the shotel's blade varies from a curve similar to the Persian shamshir, to almost a semicircular shape. The blade is flat and double-edged with a diamond cross-section. The blade is about 40 inches in total length and the hilt
Hilt
The hilt of a sword is its handle, consisting of a guard,grip and pommel. The guard may contain a crossguard or quillons. A ricasso may also be present, but this is rarely the case...
is a simple wooden piece with no guard. The shotel was carried in a close fitting leather scabbard
Scabbard
A scabbard is a sheath for holding a sword, knife, or other large blade. Scabbards have been made of many materials over the millennia, including leather, wood, and metals such as brass or steel.-Types of scabbards:...
.
Since the earliest Damotian's(Damites) and Axumites there is evidence of the use of the Shotel both by mounted and dismounted warriors. After the Solomonic restoration of Atse Yikuno Amlak I the resurgent Emperors began to re-establish the Axumite armies. This saw its culmination in the reign of Amda Seyon I
Amda Seyon I
Amda Seyon was Emperor of Ethiopia , and a member of the Solomonic dynasty...
. Ethiopian forces were armed with short and long swords such as the Seif and Gorade. The Shotel swordsmen known as Shotelai and organized in the Axurarat Shotelai comprised one of the elite forces of Amda Seyon's Imperial host. Along with the Hareb Gonda and Korem cavalry, Keste Nihb archers and Axuarat Axuarai lancers were said to be the forces that "..flew through the air like the eagle and spun on the ground like the avalanche", by a contemporary historian of Amda Seyon. Shotel techniques among others included hooking attacks both against mounted and dismounted opponents that had devastating effect especially against mounted cavalry. The shotel could be used to hook and rip the warrior off the horse. Classically the Shotel was employed in a dismounted states to hook the opponent by reaching around a shield or any other defensive implement or weapon. Its shape is similar to a big sickle
Sickle
A sickle is a hand-held agricultural tool with a variously curved blade typically used for harvesting grain crops or cutting succulent forage chiefly for feeding livestock . Sickles have also been used as weapons, either in their original form or in various derivations.The diversity of sickles that...
and can be effectively used to reach around an opponent's shield and stab them in vital areas, such as the kidney
Kidney
The kidneys, organs with several functions, serve essential regulatory roles in most animals, including vertebrates and some invertebrates. They are essential in the urinary system and also serve homeostatic functions such as the regulation of electrolytes, maintenance of acid–base balance, and...
s or lung
Lung
The lung is the essential respiration organ in many air-breathing animals, including most tetrapods, a few fish and a few snails. In mammals and the more complex life forms, the two lungs are located near the backbone on either side of the heart...
s. It is closely resembled by the Afar Gile. The similarity ends with the Gile having two cutting edges while the shotels upper edge is unsharpened and sometimes used braced against the users shield for strength. The Shotel and other Ethiopian swords are occasionally referred collectively in Geez as Han'e.
However, the mid-18th century European visitor to Ethiopia, Remedius Prutky, often uses the word shotel to describe a carving knife.
Shotels in media
Gundam Sandrock from the popular anime series Gundam WingMobile Suit Gundam Wing
Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, known in Japan as , is an anime series in the mecha genre, and is one of the alternate universe Gundam series, taking place in the After Colony timeline. It is the second alternate universe in the Gundam media franchise, following Mobile Fighter G Gundam...
used a pair of large shotels as its primary weapons.
Kamen Rider Gatack
Kamen Rider Gatack
is one of the main protagonists of Kamen Rider Kabuto. The motif is that of a "Kuwagatamushi" or stag beetle. The name is a portmanteau of "kuwagata" and "attack"-Arata Kagami: is Gatack's user...
's Gatack Caliburs, in Kamen Rider Kabuto
Kamen Rider Kabuto
is a Japanese tokusatsu superhero television series. It is the sixteenth installment in the popular Kamen Rider Series of tokusatsu programs. It is a joint collaboration between Ishimori Productions and Toei. The series was broadcast on TV Asahi. The first episode aired on January 29, 2006, and...
, are designed after shotels, as well.
The weapon also makes appearances in the PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
games Vagrant Story
Vagrant Story
is a Japanese-developed console role-playing game developed and published by Square for the PlayStation video game console. The game was released in 2000, and has been re-released through the PlayStation Network for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable consoles eleven years later...
, Kingdom Hearts
Kingdom Hearts
is an action role-playing game developed and published by Square in 2002 for the PlayStation 2 video game console. The first game in the Kingdom Hearts series, it is the result of a collaboration between Square Enix and The Walt Disney Company. The game combines characters and settings from Disney...
and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, known in Japan as , is an action-adventure game developed and published by Konami in 1997. It is the 14th installment of the Castlevania series, the first installment released for the PlayStation, and a direct sequel to Castlevania: Rondo of Blood.Symphony of the...
, as well as the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
game Demon's Souls
Demon's Souls
is an action role-playing game video game developed primarily by From Software exclusively for the PlayStation 3. It was released in Japan on February 5, 2009 and published by Sony Computer Entertainment...
and its sequel Dark Souls
Dark Souls
is an action-adventure / role-playing game video game developed and published for PlayStation 3 by From Software in Japan, and published for both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 by Namco Bandai Games internationally. Previously referred to as Project Dark, Dark Souls is the spiritual successor to...
.
Additionally, the massive multiplayer online games Final Fantasy XI
Final Fantasy XI
, also known as Final Fantasy XI Online, is a MMORPG developed and published by Square as part of the Final Fantasy series. It was released in Japan on Sony's PlayStation 2 on May 16, 2002, and was released for Microsoft's Windows-based personal computers in November 2002...
, Ragnarok Online
Ragnarok Online
Ragnarok Online , often referred to as RO, is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game or MMORPG created by GRAVITY Co., Ltd. based on the manhwa Ragnarok by Lee Myung-jin. It was first released in South Korea on 31 August 2002 for Microsoft Windows and has since been released in many other...
and Guild Wars
Guild Wars
Guild Wars is an episodic series of online 3D fantasy role-playing games developed by ArenaNet and published by NCsoft. Although often defined as an MMORPG the developers define it as a CORPG due to significant differences from the MMORPG genre. It provides two main modes of gameplay—a cooperative...
each feature a shotel as one of the available weapons.