The SHOTEL (sickle form) is a widely used combat sword of Abyssina. There have been many postings and discussions about its form and use. Search the Forum under shotel. This particular shotel has a grip made of buffalo horn, hence the "circular hole" at the bottom (again, this has been part of previous discussions). The "cut" at the top of the scabbard (very nice conditions, by the way) is to allow the proper fitting of the curved blade. Scabbard with split top part are often found in indo-persian, arabian and even European swords with extreme curvature. Ethiopian scabbards are made of raw skin that shrink over time and become very tight for the blade. This problem can be "solved" by coating the blade with a lot of leather softener/conditioner. After many tries and applications it seems to work.
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