Knife for I.D. Chinese? Tibetan? Bhutanese?

Jim McDougall · 13th August 2022, 05:16 PM

I wanted to add that thanks to the information on my entry to this thread, with the info from JBG and Ausjulius noting my example as being a palag from Bhutan. With this I was able to find a bit more noting there were certain peculiarities in these, it seems mostly from the metallurgy of the blades and the makers (11 types named for these makers). While these were worn by priests it seems that examples used in war had a 'cross' (what form not specified) placed near the hilt on the blade.
These have not been made for some time, and only examples found are within museums or perhaps monasteries.
In 1912 Bhutan became recognized as an Indian princely state administratively in the British Raj, but warfare prior to this period seems to have been with neighboring regions Tibetan etc.

In the 1912 map, Bhutan is in green segments. The picture shows priest wearing one of these palag. The Bhutanese flag, land of the 'thunder dragon'.

13th August 2022, 05:16 PM	#14
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,590	I wanted to add that thanks to the information on my entry to this thread, with the info from JBG and Ausjulius noting my example as being a palag from Bhutan. With this I was able to find a bit more noting there were certain peculiarities in these, it seems mostly from the metallurgy of the blades and the makers (11 types named for these makers). While these were worn by priests it seems that examples used in war had a 'cross' (what form not specified) placed near the hilt on the blade. These have not been made for some time, and only examples found are within museums or perhaps monasteries. In 1912 Bhutan became recognized as an Indian princely state administratively in the British Raj, but warfare prior to this period seems to have been with neighboring regions Tibetan etc. In the 1912 map, Bhutan is in green segments. The picture shows priest wearing one of these palag. The Bhutanese flag, land of the 'thunder dragon'. Attached Images