Axumite 'Dembus' did it actually ever exist?

[Aetius-last-of-the-Romans]

I'm just doing a bit of research into the 'medieval' kingdoms of east Africa (as you do!) and came across  repeated references (in modern wargames army lists) to an infantry weapon called a 'Dembus'.
It is invariably classified as a 'Heavy Cutting Weapon' (like an axe) in most rules sets. It appears to have 1st 'originated' in the DBM army list booklets.

However, when digging a bit deeper it appears that the word 'Dembus' actually refers to 'an Axumite or Ethiopian Dembus (or stele) which is a massive, pre-Christian monolithic granite pillar serving as a royal tomb marker, typically carved to resemble a multi-story building. They are characterized by vertical, skyscraper-like styling featuring false doors at the base, layered windows, and a semi-circular top, standing up to 33 meters tall (definition from the UNESCO website).

So, could it be some that the 'Dembus' in this context is sort of 'staff' (or mace) maybe of metal, wielded in 2 hands? Or is this just more 'wargames list writers' mumbo-jumbo!

There are Axumite bronze crescent shaped (half disc) blades that have been found, but not in a military context (so they could just as easily be agricultural implements) and these do not appear in any of the carved stele or even the embroidered cloth fragments, which do show Axumite and Blemmye/Nubian auxiliary troops (fighting the Sassanids in the Yemen).

Any thoughts folks?
Cheers
Mark

[Duncan Head]

The dembus is not, I think, Axumite at all. In the DBMM army list (II/62), which I suspect most other lists are plagiarising, dembus-wielders are allowed only to Muslim states in the Horn of Africa after 896 AD - in other words, some time after the end of Axum. And the notes say "The Dembus is described as an iron mace, staff or club". 

I think from memory that there was a Slingshot article, or series, in the 1990s on armies of the region, which may have presented the evidence for the weapon.

[Aetius-last-of-the-Romans]

The dembus is not, I think, Axumite at all. In the DBMM army list (II/62), which I suspect most other lists are plagiarising, dembus-wielders are allowed only to Muslim states in the Horn of Africa after 896 AD - in other words, some time after the end of Axum. And the notes say "The Dembus is described as an iron mace, staff or club". 

I think from memory that there was a Slingshot article, or series, in the 1990s on armies of the region, which may have presented the evidence for the weapon.

Wonderful - thank you Duncan - as always your memory of such things is invaluable.
I'll check out the Slingshot article, and return to the forum.
Mark

[Aetius-last-of-the-Romans]

And ... I have an answer:

David Nicolle's article "The Dembus" (Slingshot #169, September 1993) identifies the iron staff/mace as a key, religiously associated weapon used in the Horn of Africa post-896 AD, arguing it reflects a blend of local and Islamic-influenced metalworking. Based on sources like the 16th-century Futuh al-Habasha and archaeological findings in the Lalibela region, the study details the weapon's use by both Ethiopian Highland and Adal Sultanate warriors.

In the 16th-century Futuh al-Habasha (translated by Paul Lester Stenhouse), the Dembus is described as a heavy iron staff or mace, often used by the Adal vanguard to break plate armor. It is characterized as a 3-4 foot solid iron rod with a slightly weighted head, with related iron mace components found in the Harar and Zeila regions.

The Futuh al-Habasha (The Conquest of Abyssinia) refers to the Dembus (alternatively spelled danbus, dambus, or dabbus) as a contemporary weapon used during the 16th-century wars (1529–1543). While the weapon has ancient roots in the Horn of Africa dating back to at least the 9th century, the text describes its use by the forces of Imam Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi (Ahmad Grañ) and the Abyssinians at the time of the conflict.

Another Article from Slingshot (Society of Ancients)
This article, "The Armies of the Horn of Africa" (or similar title) is by Duncan Head, published in Slingshot around the early 1990s (possibly issue #154 or nearby).
Summary: The article discusses the unique military hardware of the medieval and early modern Horn, focusing on the transition from traditional melee weapons to the introduction of firearms. It highlights the Dembus as a specialized iron mace or weighted staff, often carried by elite infantry or cavalry.

Historical Reference Material: the article draws significantly from the Futuh al-Habasha and earlier accounts by Arab travelers (like Al-Masudi, c. 9th century) to establish the continuity of this weapon. Ir notes that the iron staff was a symbol of authority and a formidable anti-armour weapon in a region where quilted cloth and hide shields were common.

Wording in Futuh al-Habasha
In the English translation by Paul Lester Stenhouse (2003), the weapon is often referred to as an "iron mace" or "staff of iron." A typical reference describes the shock troops or leaders:
"They were armed with swords and staves of iron [dabbus]... and they fell upon the idolaters like lions."
Another specific reference mentions the Imam himself or his elite guards using it to crush the helmets or shields of the Christian Abyssinian knights. The Arabic term dabbus (دبوس) specifically denotes a mace or club, which in the Ethiopian context was frequently a long, thin iron rod with a weighted head.

Finds and Visuals
Actual archaeological finds of 16th-century Dembus are rare due to the high value and recycling of iron, but they are typologically related to the "liturgical staves" still seen in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
Archaeological finds: While specific "Dembus" photos are scarce in general digital archives, you can find similar iron-weighted staves in the British Museum's African Collection or the Institute of Ethiopian Studies in Addis Ababa.
Drawings: The best visual representations are found in 16th-century Portuguese sketches of the war and later Ethiopian hagiographies, which depict warriors with long, thin staves topped with a small, heavy bulb or "onion" head.

So I think I have my answer.
Again, many thanks Duncan

(& those 'blob' ended pins that retailers use to hold the folds of new shirts in place, whilst in their packets, should be ideal for converting 15mm figures into Dembus wielders)
KR
Mark