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.
Provenance: Strong link to Maqdala through museum labelling
Provenance: A note on the exhibit at the National Museum of Ethiopia says it was restituted by the Kenya National Museum in 1985 by Richard Leakey.
Research by Michael White (2009: 68) suggests it was bought by Captain Edward Roberts at the auction of plunder after the fall of Maqdala. A Captain Edward Roberts of the 4th King’s Own was listed as wounded at the Battle of Aroge in the official record of the campaign written by Captain Henry Hozier.
More research is needed to pin down the details of its journey from Maqdala to Kenya to Addis Ababa.
Where: The National Museum of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa. The shield was removed from an auction in Newcastle, England in February, 2024 and returned to Ethiopia in November through the mediation of the Royal Ethiopian Trust.
Status: Clear link to Maqdala. Among other indicators, the central boss of the shield is engraved “Magdala 13th April 1868”.
Photos from the Royal Ethiopian Trust
Provenance: This shield first appears in the British record in a 1932 sale of items from the collection of the Lambton family, through Anderson & Garland Auctioneers of Newcastle upon Tyne. The link to the Lambdons also strengthens the case for a link between the shield and Maqdala. To quote an essay published by the Royal Ethiopian Trust:
"It is notable that Sir Hedworth Lambton, the patriarch of the Lambton family, had a significant connection to Lady Valerie Meux, an aristocrat with a strong interest in Ethiopian culture. Sir Hedworth, a naval officer and the commander of the Naval Brigade at the Siege of Ladysmith, became the chief beneficiary of Lady Meux’s estate. This inheritance not only linked Sir Hedworth to Lady Meux’s wealth but also possibly to her collection of Ethiopian treasures, making it likely that the Shield of Magdala entered the Lambton Estate via Lady Meux. The shield’s back is marked with the word 'Tower,' suggesting its association with one of two towers on the Lambton Estate."
The shield was put up for sale again by the same auctioneer in February, 2024. Here is a link to an archived version of the auction page. This time, Anderson & Garland did not name the owner, but did mention the historical context, with a reference to the “expedition and its troops looting many local artifacts which they took back to Britian”.
The Ethiopian Heritage Authority – part of Ethiopia’s government – then contacted Anderson & Garland on Feb. 23 in a letter that said:
"Since the artefact has been wrongfully acquired in a context of a punitive expedition to Ethiopia in which these items were looted the sale of this item in your auction is inappropriate. As the legally mandated authority concerned with Ethiopian heritage in Ethiopia and abroad we would therefore strongly urge you to cancel the auction, and request that you contact the sellers to arrange for the restitution of this looted item and repatriation to its country of origin and its legally rightful owners, the Ethiopian government represented by the Heritage Authority under the Ministry of Tourism."
The auctioneer agreed to withdraw the shield from sale. It soon emerged that it had been contacted by the Royal Ethiopian Trust – a non-profit organization established by His Imperial Highness Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie Haile-Selassie, grandson of Emperor Haile-Selassie I – which offered to acquire the shield and arrange its return to Ethiopia.
“This shield is not just a historical artifact; it is a symbol of Ethiopia’s history and resilience,” said Prince Ermias. “Our efforts and success in regaining this treasure is a testament to our commitment to preserve our heritage and honor our ancestors who fought for our nation’s sovereignty.”
It was first taken in October to Toledo, Ohio, where it was displayed at the Toledo Museum of Art. Then campaigner and researcher Alula Pankhurst brought it to Ethiopia in November where it was greeted at the National Museum where it remains on display.
Photos of return celebrations from Alula Pankhurst
Where: The Highlanders’ Museum, Ardersier, Inverness, Scotland IV2 7TD
Status: Clear link to Maqdala. Among other indicators, the shield is marked: “Taken at Magdala by the British Troops 13th April 1868”.
Provenance: The shield is included on the Highlanders’ Museum website, in a post titled: “Ethiopian Shield taken from the Battle of Maqdala”. That post identifies the shield as plunder and discusses attitudes to looting then and now.
The shield is clearly linked to Maqdala through the two engravings that say: “Taken at Magdala by the British Troops 13th April 1868” and “Lieutenant General Sir Patrick Grant GCB GC MG from W Arbuthnot”.
William Arbuthnot was a Scottish-born officer on the Abyssinian Expedition and Aide-de-Camp to its commander, Robert Napier. He made a significant collection of artefacts from Maqdala, including the Edinburgh tabot, the Westminster Abbey tabot and some horn beakers, later decorated in engraved silver.
There is a good chance this “Highlanders’ shield” is the one in this photo of Arbuthnot’s Abyssinian collection from the time.
Patrick Grant was a senior Indian Army officer who did not take part in the Abyssinian Expedition, but had close links with its commander, Robert Napier. Grant was born in Inverness-shire, went on to become the acting Commander-in-Chief in India during the 1857 “Indian Mutiny”, and was a pall-bearer at Napier’s funeral. Grant is described as a friend in Napier’s biography, which also says that, at one point, Napier saved Grant’s life.
More research is needed on the circumstances around Arbuthnot giving the shield to Grant. There are examples of pieces of Maqdala treasure being presented to senior figures, including then US President Ulysses S Grant, in a sharing of the spoils.
This shield is very similar to other sheilds linked to Maqdala and listed on this website.
What: A hunting sword and scabbard, said to belong to the emperor, presented to Major-General Sinclair by Queen Victoria
Where: The Royal Armouries Collection, Armouries Dr, Leeds LS10 1LT
The database entry includes close-up photos, showing an engraving that reads: “The sword of King Theodore of Abyssinia Presented to Major-General Sinclair R.A.M.C. by Her Majesty Queen Victoria”.
Bibliographic References F. Wilkinson, ‘A royal sword?’, Royal Armouriesd Yearbook, 4, 199, pp. 80-85, incl. fig. 2 (sword and scabbard, overall), figs 3, 4 & 5 (dets resp. of maker’s name, blade and inscription on scabbard locket).
Details: Date: 1831-1870 Object Number: IX.1291
Provenance Transferred from Hove Museum 3 April 1956.
Other Ethiopian items in the collection that are not specifically labelled as coming from Magdala:
What: A shield said to belong to Emperor Tewodros and “collected” on the expedition by intelligence officer Captain Speedy.
Where: The British Museum, Great Russell St, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3DG
Status: Strong link through museum description
Photo: The British Museum
The catalogue entry includes a picture and describes a “composite shield, circular, of leather with elaborate metal ornamentation all over the front”. It adds: “Said to be King Theodore’s shield. See also Af1912,0410.28.”
Details Museum number Af1939,09.1 Height: 51 cm Width: 51 cm Depth: 15 cm Acquisition notes Collected by Capt.T.C.Speedy in Abyssinia during British Expedition, 1867-68. Donated by: Mrs Henry Perrin Previous owner/ex-collection: Tewodros II, Emperor of Ethiopia Previous owner/ex-collection: Capt Tristram C S Speedy Acquisition date: 1939
