[Marc M.]

Originally Posted by Iain

As others have indicated there really are a lot of varieties of "rounded" tip dhas. I'm attaching another couple just as examples. As you can see this covers a wide range of hilting styles, handle materials, blade styles etc and they are all subtly different.

In relation to Ian's comments about "machetes", from my own experiences in the region, a variety of working knives and tools can be found, including rounded tips, square tips etc. In earlier periods larger sword like examples were common practical things to carry on a daily basis and still are in some areas. I can say from personal experience you need a good blade on you in a lot of southeast Asia for the simple necessity of moving through the terrain let alone the host of other practical applications required throughout a day.

Of course with silver fittings yours Marc would be more upmarket, but the point is that there is a thin line sometimes between a dha being only a weapon and being a tool as well, although I think yours is very much on the weapon side of things.

Is it correct to assume that bearers of these types of weapons are/were krabi krabong practitioners?
Regards
Marc