The Sheklesh were part of the confederation of *Sea-peoples who fought against the Egyptians in battles in Year 5 of *Merneptah's reign and Year 8 of *Ramesses III's reign.
The Egyptian temple scenes show them as bearded and wearing a pointed kilt with tassels; some wear a medallion suspended on a cord around the neck, and their chests are bound with protective strips of linen or leather. They apparently carried two spears, or a scimitar. According to these scenes, the Sheklesh, *Sherden, *Akawasha and Tursha were circumcised, and thus the hands (rather than the genitals) of the prisoners taken from these groups were presented to the Egyptian king as an enemy count. They may ultimately have arrived and settled as the Sicels in Sicily, where archaeological evidence indicates the arrival of a new people.
BIBL. CAHii, ch xxviii; Wainwright, G.A. Some Sea-Peoples. JEA 47 (1961) pp. 71 ff.; Sheklesh or Shashu. JEA 50 (1964) pp. 40 ff.
Biographical Dictionary of Ancient Egypt by Rosalie and Antony E. David
Ancient Egypt. A Reference Guide. EdwART. 2011.