Two dao from Arunachal Pradesh

Sajen · 2nd June 2015, 03:46 PM

I was able to obtain two daos from Arunachal Pradesh. In this federal state of India living approx. 100 ethnic groups and nearly all have daos as their weapon and I think that it will be very difficult to determine the exact origin of this two dao. It was stated in other threads that this are Naga daos but when I read correct you can say only about one of this ethnic groups from Arunachal Pradesh that they belong to the Naga "family".
For Arunachal Pradesh see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arunachal_Pradesh
One of the both seems to be nearly unused while the other one shows a lot of use. Here the both side by side.
A great thank and compliment to Robert for the excellent pictures from the both swords.

Sajen · 2nd June 2015, 03:53 PM

Here some pictures from the one in down, the open scabbard is braided with with rattan, the dao is 19,5" long with a blade from 15 1/8". Handle is from wood with a cross piece from bone.

Sajen · 2nd June 2015, 04:07 PM

Here some more pictures from the other one, it has a blade from 16", handle is complete from bone with a ferrule from brass wire and the open scabbard is also brass braided. The blade is marked. Both blades still need a cleaning and maybe an etch.

Sajen · 2nd June 2015, 04:21 PM

And here some pictures with different tribes wearing similar daos.

VANDOO · 2nd June 2015, 06:59 PM

VERY NICE PICTURES AND YOUR TWO EXAMPLES SHOULD CLEAN UP NICELY, IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF THE BLADES HAVE ANY PATTERN. THE WAY THEY ARE PEENED AT THE POMMEL IS UNUSUAL IT MAKES ONE WONDER IF THE TANG WAS SPLIT OR IF ANOTHER IRON SPIKE WAS DRIVEN IN TO SECURE THE HANDLE AND BONE POMMEL CAP.
REFERRING TO ALL TRIBES IN CERTIAN REGIONS AS NAGA IS A BIT LIKE REFERING TO ALL TRIBES IN AMERICA AS INDIANS. BUT WITHOUT COMPREHENSIVE KNOWLEGE OF ALL THE TRIBES IT IS OFTEN THE EASIEST. DOING THE WORK AND PROPER RESEARCH WOULD NO DOUBT TAKE MANY YEARS PERHAPS A LIFETIME. FORTUNATELY A FORUM POST SHOULD NOT NEED TO BE THAT ACCURATE OR TAKE THAT LONG AND CAN ALWAYS BE CORRECTED BY THOSE MORE KNOWLEGABLE IN THE FIELD.

Sajen · 2nd June 2015, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VANDOO

REFERRING TO ALL TRIBES IN CERTIAN REGIONS AS NAGA IS A BIT LIKE REFERING TO ALL TRIBES IN AMERICA AS INDIANS. BUT WITHOUT COMPREHENSIVE KNOWLEGE OF ALL THE TRIBES IT IS OFTEN THE EASIEST. DOING THE WORK AND PROPER RESEARCH WOULD NO DOUBT TAKE MANY YEARS PERHAPS A LIFETIME. FORTUNATELY A FORUM POST SHOULD NOT NEED TO BE THAT ACCURATE OR TAKE THAT LONG AND CAN ALWAYS BE CORRECTED BY THOSE MORE KNOWLEGABLE IN THE FIELD.

Hello Barry,
thank you for comment. My statement about the "Naga" wasn't ment to offend you in any way. And like you said it would take a very long time to do a very good research about this area, I've spend some hours to read about the different tribes in this most interesting area and was after this more confused as before.

Maybe this thread can bring a little bit more light inside the subject.

Regards,
Detlef

Sajen · 2nd June 2015, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VANDOO

THE WAY THEY ARE PEENED AT THE POMMEL IS UNUSUAL IT MAKES ONE WONDER IF THE TANG WAS SPLIT OR IF ANOTHER IRON SPIKE WAS DRIVEN IN TO SECURE THE HANDLE AND BONE POMMEL CAP.

By the second example seems the tang to be splitted, by the first one I am very unsure.

Sajen · 28th December 2015, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sajen

Here some pictures from the one in down, the open scabbard is braided with with rattan, the dao is 19,5" long with a blade from 15 1/8". Handle is from wood with a cross piece from bone.

Isn't it crazy that some weapons turned up at this place several times!?

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ghlight=kachin

colin henshaw · 13th January 2016, 03:14 PM

Hi Detlef

Have been reading through your interesting thread. I like the daos you have acquired, and as already mentioned, also find it tricky to assign these weapons to a particular tribal group from the area in question.

Thought you might like to see my example for comparison, it has a circular metal decorative element (base silver ?) attached to the belt, and the belt itself has several curious metal pieces stitched on. I've sometimes seen those metal disks attached to cane helmets from the area. Do you know anything more about them ?

Regards.

Sajen · 13th January 2016, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colin henshaw

Have been reading through your interesting thread. I like the daos you have acquired, and as already mentioned, also find it tricky to assign these weapons to a particular tribal group from the area in question.

Thought you might like to see my example for comparison, it has a circular metal decorative element (base silver ?) attached to the belt, and the belt itself has several curious metal pieces stitched on. I've sometimes seen those metal disks attached to cane helmets from the area. Do you know anything more about them ?

Hi Colin,

thank you very much for sharing this very interesting and old dao from your collection. Like you I've seen this disks only by helmets from this area but never at the belt from this daos. Sadly I can't tell you more.

Again, very nice dao! Went the tang by your example also complete through the handle? Can you show a picture from the top of the handle?

Regards,
Detlef

colin henshaw · 14th January 2016, 11:07 AM

Hi Detlef

Thanks for your comments, glad you like my dao.

The tang does not extend completely through the wooden hilt, here is an image as requested.

I can't find much information of those metal disks, seems they were purely ornamental ? I am attaching an image (entitled - A Yimchunger Naga in dancing dress) from the book "The Arts and Crafts of Nagaland" published by The Naga Institute of Culture in 1968, for information.

Regards,
Colin

Sajen · 15th January 2016, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colin henshaw

The tang does not extend completely through the wooden hilt, here is an image as requested.

Hi Colin,

thank you for the additional picture of your dao and the other interesting picture.

Regards,
Detlef

Sajen · 30th October 2016, 12:22 AM

Have get recently a very similar example like the one Colin has shown in post #27, the only exception is that this one has two discs, maybe it's a small armored protection, look for this in up how this belts are worn.
This one seems to come from the same ethnos like Colins dao.

russel · 30th October 2016, 12:58 AM

Congratulations Detlef,

I was watching this one, but when I noticed you leading the bidding I pulled back. Nice catch for a very reasonable price.

Cheers,
Russel

Sajen · 30th October 2016, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by russel

Congratulations Detlef,

I was watching this one, but when I noticed you leading the bidding I pulled back. Nice catch for a very reasonable price.

Cheers,
Russel

Hello Mate,

thank you for both, I am more as glad to get it by this price, I think that it's so complete a very nice ethnograhic item. Nothing but the blade will get cleaned since the belt has such a nice patination.

Cheers,
Detlef

colin henshaw · 30th October 2016, 05:15 PM

Nice piece Detlef, well done !

Sajen · 30th October 2016, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colin henshaw

Nice piece Detlef, well done !

Thank you very much Colin, it will be from the same tribal group as yours.

Best regards,
Detlef

2nd June 2015, 03:46 PM	#1
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,761	Two dao from Arunachal Pradesh I was able to obtain two daos from Arunachal Pradesh. In this federal state of India living approx. 100 ethnic groups and nearly all have daos as their weapon and I think that it will be very difficult to determine the exact origin of this two dao. It was stated in other threads that this are Naga daos but when I read correct you can say only about one of this ethnic groups from Arunachal Pradesh that they belong to the Naga "family". For Arunachal Pradesh see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arunachal_Pradesh One of the both seems to be nearly unused while the other one shows a lot of use. Here the both side by side. A great thank and compliment to Robert for the excellent pictures from the both swords. Attached Images Last edited by Sajen; 2nd June 2015 at 04:26 PM.

2nd June 2015, 04:07 PM	#3
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,761	Here some more pictures from the other one, it has a blade from 16", handle is complete from bone with a ferrule from brass wire and the open scabbard is also brass braided. The blade is marked. Both blades still need a cleaning and maybe an etch. Attached Images

2nd June 2015, 04:21 PM	#4
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,761	And here some pictures with different tribes wearing similar daos. Attached Images

13th January 2016, 03:14 PM	#9
colin henshaw Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,430	Hi Detlef Have been reading through your interesting thread. I like the daos you have acquired, and as already mentioned, also find it tricky to assign these weapons to a particular tribal group from the area in question. Thought you might like to see my example for comparison, it has a circular metal decorative element (base silver ?) attached to the belt, and the belt itself has several curious metal pieces stitched on. I've sometimes seen those metal disks attached to cane helmets from the area. Do you know anything more about them ? Regards. Attached Images

14th January 2016, 11:07 AM	#11
colin henshaw Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,430	Hi Detlef Thanks for your comments, glad you like my dao. The tang does not extend completely through the wooden hilt, here is an image as requested. I can't find much information of those metal disks, seems they were purely ornamental ? I am attaching an image (entitled - A Yimchunger Naga in dancing dress) from the book "The Arts and Crafts of Nagaland" published by The Naga Institute of Culture in 1968, for information. Regards, Colin Attached Images

2nd June 2015, 03:53 PM	#2
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,761	Here some pictures from the one in down, the open scabbard is braided with with rattan, the dao is 19,5" long with a blade from 15 1/8". Handle is from wood with a cross piece from bone. Attached Images

2nd June 2015, 06:59 PM	#5
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	VERY NICE PICTURES AND YOUR TWO EXAMPLES SHOULD CLEAN UP NICELY, IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF THE BLADES HAVE ANY PATTERN. THE WAY THEY ARE PEENED AT THE POMMEL IS UNUSUAL IT MAKES ONE WONDER IF THE TANG WAS SPLIT OR IF ANOTHER IRON SPIKE WAS DRIVEN IN TO SECURE THE HANDLE AND BONE POMMEL CAP. REFERRING TO ALL TRIBES IN CERTIAN REGIONS AS NAGA IS A BIT LIKE REFERING TO ALL TRIBES IN AMERICA AS INDIANS. BUT WITHOUT COMPREHENSIVE KNOWLEGE OF ALL THE TRIBES IT IS OFTEN THE EASIEST. DOING THE WORK AND PROPER RESEARCH WOULD NO DOUBT TAKE MANY YEARS PERHAPS A LIFETIME. FORTUNATELY A FORUM POST SHOULD NOT NEED TO BE THAT ACCURATE OR TAKE THAT LONG AND CAN ALWAYS BE CORRECTED BY THOSE MORE KNOWLEGABLE IN THE FIELD.

30th October 2016, 12:22 AM	#13
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,761	Have get recently a very similar example like the one Colin has shown in post #27, the only exception is that this one has two discs, maybe it's a small armored protection, look for this in up how this belts are worn. This one seems to come from the same ethnos like Colins dao. Attached Images

30th October 2016, 12:58 AM	#14
russel Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Tasmania, Australia Posts: 236	Congratulations Detlef, I was watching this one, but when I noticed you leading the bidding I pulled back. Nice catch for a very reasonable price. Cheers, Russel

30th October 2016, 05:15 PM	#16
colin henshaw Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,430	Nice piece Detlef, well done !