The Prince and the Plunder

A book on how Britain took one boy and piles of treasures from Ethiopia

Tag: National Army Museum – London

Bracelet made of hide *

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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

Queen Sabazadis’ necklace

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What: Necklace belonged to “Queen Sabazadis”, described as the emperor’s wife

Where: The National Army Museum, Royal Hospital Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 4HT

The database entry describes a “necklace, 1868 (c); belonged to Queen Sabazadis, the wife of King Theodore of Abyssinia; owned by Lt C F James, Bombay Staff Corps and possibly 2nd (The Queen’s Royal) Regiment of Foot; leather, crystal, silver, glass and brass beads, threaded on string; associated with Abyssinia (1868).

Detail
1959-10-79

Finial in shape of Coptic cross ‘taken from Magdala’

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What: A finial in the shape of an Ethiopian orthodox cross

Where: The National Army Museum, Royal Hospital Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 4HT

This is possibly a cross from the top of an Ethiopian Orthodox church – there is no image in the database and it is not on show.

The database entry describes a “Finial, 1868 (c); brass openwork sheetmetal, in the shape of a Coptic Cross, with lozenge profile, taken from Magdala during the Abyssinian Campaign (1868).

Detail
Crafts 1957-02-34

Coptic Cross finial ‘obtained from an Abyssinian soldier at Magdala’

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What: An Ethiopian Orthodox cross – possibly taken from the top of a church

Where: The National Army Museum, Royal Hospital Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 4HT

This is possibly a cross from the top of an Ethiopian Orthodox church – there is no image in the database and it is not on show.

The database entry describes: a “Coptic Cross finial, 1868 (c); Abyssinian iron cross with trefoil lozenge points to cross, cut from sheet metal, with cylindrical stem and rectangular flange at bottom and lower terminal trefoil as on arms; obtained from an Abyssinian soldier at Magdala”.

Detail
1959-10-76

Framed letter bearing the great seal of King Theodore and a lock of his hair

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Theodore’s hair and letter in National Army Museum


100023Database entry: Framed letter bearing the great seal of King Theodore and a lock of his hair taken after death, 1868 (c).

This lock of hair was taken from the body of the Coptic Christian King of Abyssinia, Tewodros II (or Theodore) following his defeat and subsequent suicide. The king had seized a number of European hostages and in April 1868 Lieutenant-General Sir Robert Napier’s army stormed his stronghold at Magdala to rescue the hostages.

NAM Accession Number
NAM. 1959-10-71-1

Copyright/Ownership
National Army Museum Copyright

Location
National Army Museum, Army gallery

Object URL
https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?acc=1959-10-71-1