Ascari, Dubats, Meharisti and other Italian colonial soldiers at random

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I have always been interested in the Italian colonial soldiers, especially Somalis and Eritreans.
I collect just in an unmethodical way, from 8-10 years, especially indigenous blades of the Horn of Africa, Eritrean and Somali battalions regimental medals, and specially Regiments and Battalions colonial postcard used (only used!) from, to, or between Italian colonial officers Italian ....

I begin with the blades ..

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A shotel is a curved sword (adopting an almost semicircular shape) originating in Abyssinia (ancient Ethiopia). The blade is about 1000 mml length (all) and the hilt is a simple wooden piece with no guard. The shotel was carried in a close fitting leather scabbard. It is "cavalry saber". 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....

in a nineteenth-century Abyssinian picture... and in two postacard of the V Battaglione Indigeni dell'Eritrea...

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my first shotel with local blade l

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handle in hardwood

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and the blade is generally riveted on a talisman coin.... here a Thaler of Maria Theresa of Austria, the "euro" of Africa Horn between '800 and '900...

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have two other shotel with European blades

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horn handle

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that with the reddish handle has a talisman coin very interesting, 10 cents of Umberto I (more or less in 1895, we will go around the battle of Adwa, captured in an Italian soldier ?????)

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the other, darker handle, a normal decoration ...

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then I like the Somali Billao..... a double-edged, knives leaf-shaped, asymmetrical blade and (generally) with a three-pronged pommel. The billao's blade is made of iron or steel. The handle is typically made from the horn of buffalo..... it is the typical knives of the "Dubat" warriors of the bands
recruited by the Italians.....

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my billao...

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the simple ones

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.........

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and more refined models, with an ivory handle ... especially the larger was supplied to the Guardie Vicereale (of the Governor) of Somalia: foto form "Pugnali e coltelli italiani" of Cesare Calamandrei)

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while the small one is probably (the news are few and uncertain) the same pattern for the Officers