A beautiful Burmese dha dated 1798

[Gavin Nugent]

Originally Posted by Ian

Gavin:

I guess it comes down to whether one wishes to speak geographically or ethnographically. I think we would both agree that these "story dha" are not Kachin or Karen in origin, and probably not Burman; however, each of these ethnic groups is "Burmese" as defined by the boundaries of Myanmar and former Burma under British rule. [I won't get into the broken promises of homelands for minority populations in this country that would have given the Shan, Kachin, and Karen their independence 60 years ago.]

My preference is to define these dha in terms of the ethnic group(s) from which they come, regardless of geography. In this case, I think we can agree that "story dha" are most likely a product of the greater group of Tai, and more specifically the southern Tai* (which includes Shan, Thai, Lao, and other less common groups). This larger group has sub-styles in swords, in part depending on the degree of Chinese influence, and bridges the national geographic boundaries of Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, northern Vietnam and southern China.

However, by removing the geographic constraints that apply to national borders and the use of associated terms (Burmese, Thai, Lao, Chinese, etc.), I think we can get a better picture of cultural items such as dha/daab/dao and arrive at a clearer understanding of the diffusion of their styles among the various ethnic groups in the region. In this way, I think the picture becomes less of a melting pot and starts to make more sense.

I do think our traditional collecting world has been rather lazy in continuing much of the earlier colonial approach for attributing cultural artifacts by geographic identity rather than ethnographic group. "Burmese" is an archaic term, just as "Siamese" or "Vietnamese." At best, these terms are a starting point in the discussion of the origin of cultural items such as dha/daab/dao in the region.

Ian.

* I use the term southern Tai to distinguish them from their northern brethren. The northern Tai (Shan) arrived in their present region a few centuries before their southern cousins, and at one time occupied and controlled what is now northern Burma and Assam (the latter deriving its name from "Shan"), extending into Tibet. The southern group of Tai was driven south by Kublai Khan in the 13th C. and came to occupy much of what is now southern Burma, Thailand, Laos, and southern Yunnan, China.

Ian,

I disagree with the notion that these "Story Dah" are not Burman.

I appreciate the history lesson of the last 800+ years of people movement in SEA, but in relation to where this movement of the past sits in relation to the time period and place of these "Story Dah", they are Burman.

To bucket this sword type as it is seen during the British Raj and beyond in to Burmese nationalism and also much earlier Burmese symbolism and iconography in to anything other than Burmese is incorrect.

To drill down as you want, you may as well have no identification for any sword of the regions throughout the last 800 years and trace it back to a single prototype of the Dah and move along...every period and every place in every part of time had its own development.

Originally Posted by Ian

As to what constitutes a "story dha," I don't think we need to be overly complicated. For me, the "story dha" is related solely to the blade (although that may be complemented by an accompanying scabbard that has related graphics). The blade should contain full-length metal inlaid decorations, using a "koftgari" technique, that comprise graphical elements and accompanying Burmese text relating an historical, mythical, or spiritual "story." Both sides of the blade should be treated in this manner.

Where else in the entire SEA region of the past, other than Burma, do you find a sword that fits your criteria of the "Story Dah"?

Personally, for me, the "Story Dah" must as a whole must have the overlaid silvered blade presenting the previous lives of Buddha and also be of fine repousse silver dress with characters from the Burmese version of the Ramayana. I further feel strongly that the pommels must be of the large lotus form that they are known for.
I strongly suspect that the "Story Dah" form itself, is based on the image I've presented below being of the Four Kings of Heaven, not specifically this image alone but all relevant iconography of the past.
These guardians are known as Lokapala, Sanskrit and Pāli for "guardian of the world". Look closely at the pommel shapes and that of the silver repousse dressed "Story Dah".
I can see a direct relationship as to how these "Story Dah" became presentation swords to those who served in the national interest of Burma.
As a side note, the animals depicted on the blades that are not in full repousse silver dress also part of the previous lives of Buddha.

I do not think the collectors of today are lazy in pointing out origins based on the colonial players of the past...the weapons largely discussed in these pages are from this modern period in time, a period in time were wars continued with or without colonial interference, "modern" borders were mostly already established for centuries, and these weapons were collected during this time and within these borders, and lucky enough for anyone interested today, they offer a great insight in to these cultural artefacts and a time specific were provenance is known. I see no reason to not work within a known border if a weapon dates within the period that that border was known. From this point, to drill down further in to a cultural history of the object is further necessary to understand more.

I've included some excerpts from Tilly's monograph on Burmese silver, 1904 and some images. that align with the "Story Dah" as I see it.

Note the group of individual statuettes, the characters depicted on the "Story Dah" scabbards, being six characters in the Burmese version of the Ramayana.

Below is the English coat of arms on a "Story Dah", followed by the Burmese coat of arms on a post WWII silver presentation "Story Dah"

Below this, I've included it specifically for you Ian, a 1920ish Burmese bowl reputed to have been made in north east Shan region of Burma.

Gavin