'head of the elephant') was a former governorate of the Christian Ethiopian state, located to the west of the river Atbara and Mätämma near the Ethiopian-Sudanese border.
It was a four day journey from Sinnar, and was considered one of the safest trade routes between the two countries.
Though its territorial extent is unclear, Ras al-Fil once consisted of 39 villages.
At the time of James Bruce's visit, it was ruled by a Christian called Ato Kénfu.
Bruce was offered a deputy governorship that he did not exercise actively owing to its unfavourable location.