What: Shield that appeared in numerous contemporary photographs

Where: Current whereabouts unknown

Status: Strong link to Maqdala, though Speedy did also collect Ethiopian artefacts before and after the campaign

This shield appeared in many photographs taken on the 1868 campaign and in the years that followed. Almost all are associated with Captain Speedy who was part of the expedition’s intelligence team and became the first guardian of Ethiopia’s Prince Alemayehu in Britain. The design is distinctive through its use of unusually large silver panels, with triangles closely filling the space left by the rectangles.

Some of the photos are below:

Marked July 17 1868 (think date wrong – looks like Malta – so June 17?) – Royal Collection Trust