I would just add that the custom in Ethiopia is to eat national food with fingers and not with cutlery. This is done using a "pancake" called injara, a piece of which is torn off and the food is wrapped in it and put in the mouth. I have no doubt at all that (not only) during the military campaigns the sabre hilt very quickly acquired a thorough patina, which is found on practically all Ethiopian old weapons, and is beautiful. In addition, sabres were used when eating another local specialty - raw beef meat, where the meat was not chewed but cut off when it was put in the mouth. It makes your hands really greasy and there's no way to wipe them properly. And - there are many types of spices made from red hot peppers in Ethiopia and the locals cannot imagine a national dish without them.....
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