Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Wednesday Change Up

Years ago I picked this medal up in the parking lot of the Charlotte Douglas International Airport.



All this time I've held on to it having no idea what it says or who is depicted on the front.

The writing in not Arabic, but it doesn't seem to be Hebrew either. And the profile looks remarkably like Anwar Sadat the Egyptian President, which if that is the case Hebrew would make even less sense.

Any suggestions?

And finally I'd be thrilled to locate the rightful owner.

Cedar Posts Update: Hat tip to Jeff Taylor for suggesting the writing is Amharic and the portrait is of Haile Selassie. Also for the suggestion that a Charlotte Cabbie probably dropped it.

Turns out Jeff is right, as it is "The Medal of the Campaign" circa 1941 and once included a ribbon. 



Circular bronze medal with integral small imperial Ethiopian crown suspension; the face with a portrait in relief of Emperor Haile Selassie I in military uniform facing left, inscribed ‘Gold is Tested by Fire’ in Amharic above, crossed curved swords and palm branches below; the reverse with the Amharic inscription ‘Hope established in faith is a proven instrument of victory’

The Medal of the Campaign was created by Emperor Haile Selassie I for those Ethiopians who remained within Ethiopia during the Italian invasion and occupation of 1935 to 1941 and who worked and fought to restore their country’s independence. Ethiopia had maintained her independence for more than two thousand years when Italian forces invaded in 1935 and eventually took control, annexing the country in 1936. In 1941 patriotic Ethiopian, British and Commonwealth troops liberated the country and Emperor Haile Selassie re-entered Addis Ababa in triumph on 5 May.

7 comments:

Ely Portillo said...

The writing looks like Armenian to me: http://www.omniglot.com/writing/armenian.htm

Anonymous said...

It is Armenian. It says "Obama/Biden 2012

Rea Road Neighborhood Coalition said...

Ely thanks!

Anonymous 8:51 Ha! I wouldn't be surprised.

Jeff A. Taylor said...

Ely had good start -- but I'd say it is Amharic and is some sort of Hallie Selassie medallion. Probably from a cab driver.


http://i3.ebayimg.com/08/s/000/77/5f/f517_1.JPG

Anonymous said...

That is a pretty good change from the normal CMPD bullshit.

Funny how you find the oddest things to share on your blog. Which makes me wonder if this is even real. Seriously who in their right mind is wandering around the airport parking lot looking for stuff?

Anonymous said...

Love anonymous at 11.9.2012 at 9:18 am. Because you are so full of bullshit and your walking around an airport, as a divorced man, looking for hookers (?!), and picking up shiny objects shows just how creepy you are.

Wow. What a freak.

Anonymous said...

5:19 who is divorced? Who is looking for hookers? What shiny object?