THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A VERY LONG TIME. I WAS IN DJBOUTI SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND SAW 100 OR MORE OF THESE SWORDS ALL WITH REPLACED HANDLES MADE OF SEVERAL PIECES OF HORN OR WOOD. THE REPLACEMENTS WERE OLD AND SHOWED GOOD PATINA AND WEAR AND SOME HAD THE BETTER IMPORTED BLADES THAT NO DOUBT HAD RHINO HILTS AT SOME TIME. THE SILVER POMMELS WERE MISSING TOO. I SUSPECT A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THE NATIVE MADE SWORDS NEVER HAD RHINO HILTS OR SILVER POMMEL CAPS BUT MOST THAT DID LOST THEM LONG AGO. UNFORTUNATELY THERE ARE PLENTY OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD BUY THE REMAINING SWORDS AND DESTROY THEM TODAY.
MOST LIKELY THE LEGENDS OF THE UNICORN GO BACK TO PREHISTORIC TIMES IT IS UNFORTUNATE THEY PERSIST TODAY AND ENDANGER THE SURVIVAL OF A UNIQUE AND INTERESTING ANIMAL. NO DOUBT A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF RHINO HORN MIXED IN WITH THE GROUND DUST OF ALMOST ANYTHING SERVES AS THE MEDICINE SOLD TO ALL BUT THE RICHEST CUSTOMERS. IT IS A VERY LONG RUNNING CON AND THOUGH NOT AS DESTRUCTIVE TO PEOPLE AS DRUGS IT DESTROYS RHINOS AND ARTEFACTS INDESCRINIMATELY.
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