What: A multi-coloured silk damask coat associated with Emperor Tewodros
Where: The National Army Museum, Royal Hospital Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 4HT
The database entry describes a “silk damask coat, 1868 (c); multi-coloured bearing a floral pattern, a degree of gold thread, herring bone pattern to background; associated with Theodore, King of Abyssinia”.
Accession number:
Uniforms 2001-02-319
What: A hide bracelet
Where: The National Army Museum, Royal Hospital Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 4HT
The database entry describes a “bracelet, 1868 (c); associated with Sir Charles Fraser; hide wrist ornament, circular piece, bearing strips of the original black hair, with white on this strip of hide, threaded through a strap of raw hide with holes at the end; associated with Abyssinia (1868)”.
Detail
1965-04-46
What: Cloth fragments
Where: The National Army Museum, Royal Hospital Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 4HT
The database entry describes two textile fragments “captured at the fall of Magdala, 1868 (c)”.
Details
Crafts 1964-03-7
What: Two sets of fetters said to have been worn by the prisoners of Emperor Tewodros
Where: The National Army Museum, Royal Hospital Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 4HT
The database describes “two sets of manacles owned by Sir Charles Fraser and acquired by him in Abyssinia during the Abyssinian campaign, 1868; a set of iron leg manacles joined with a three linked chain; one set of iron manacle which seems to be incomplete as there is no closing mechanism.
There is a photo of one of them published here.
NAM Accession Number
1965-04-47- and 1965-04-47-1
What: A blue bead necklace with bell taken by the British Museum’s expert on the expedition, Richard Rivington Holmes
Where: The British Museum, Great Russell St, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3DG
Provenance: Maqdala referenced at length in the museum’s acquisition notes.
The catalogue entry reads: “Necklace made of faceted, mid blue, glass beads threaded onto a leather thong. Attached to the thong with elaborate leather knotwork is a cast, brass bell. At the top of the necklace, stitched to the thong with paler leather, is coil of leather.
Detail
Museum number: Af1868,1001.29
Date: 19thC
Previous owner/ex-collection: Sir Richard Rivington Holmes
Acquisition date: 1868
What: Seed necklace with Venetian beads taken by the British Museum’s expert on the expedition, Richard Rivington Holmes
Where: The British Museum, Great Russell St, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3DG
Provenance: Maqdala referenced at length in the museum’s acquisition notes.
The catalogue entry reads: “Necklace of brown seeds, eight large Venetian polychrome beads, two blue faceted beads, one amber bead, a carved mother of pearl bead and a small moulded black bead strung onto blue cotton cord.”
Detail
Museum number: Af1868,1001.30
Date: 19thC
Previous owner/ex-collection: Sir Richard Rivington Holmes
Acquisition date: 1/10/1868