NAGA TRIBAL WEAPONS

David R · 5th February 2015, 02:39 PM

I could be wrong (I often am) but to me it looks more like one of the elaborate throwing knives/axes from Africa.........

VANDOO · 5th February 2015, 04:11 PM

THANKS! FOR THE REPLIES ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE AS I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING JUST LIKE IT IN ANY OF THE PLACES MENTIONED. (BUT THEN I HAVE NOT SEEN EVERYTHING YET

)
THE ONLY THING I AM SURE OF IS ITS OLDER THAN THE OTHER NAGA AXES I HAVE. MY KNOWLEGE OF ALL THINGS NAGA IS LIMITED AND THERE DOES SEEM TO BE QUITE A VARIETY OF WEAPONS SAID TO HAVE BEEN USED BY THE VARIOUS NAGA TRIBES IN SEVERAL AREAS. THE BLADE AND THE ABSENCE OF HAIR AND THE IRON FERRULES ON THE HANDLE DOES SET IT APART FROM TODAYS EXAMPLES. IF IT IS NAGA IT IS AN ATYPICAL FORM OR SOMETHING MODIFIED BY AN INDIVIDUAL.
I TOO AM REMINDED OF AFRICAN THROWING KNIVES BUT THE BALANCE IS ALL WRONG ON THIS ITEM. MOST AFRICAN THROWING KNIVES I HAVE SEEN ARE ALL IRON WITH A FIBER OR CLOTH WRAPPED GRIP.
I WILL USE THIS POST TO PUT ALL THE PICTURES OF NAGA ITEMS I HAVE FOR A REFERENCE WHICH CAN HOPEFULLY BE ADDED TO IN FUTURE.

VANDOO · 5th February 2015, 04:37 PM

NAGA PICTURES
#1. UNUSUAL FORM, KABUI DAO, SAID TO BE FOR DANCE.
#2. PLATE FROM A OLD BOOK, VARIOUS NAGA WEAPONS
#3. MISHMI NAGAS, ASSAM 1922
#4. NAGAS 1870 TO 1880
#5. NAGA SKULL RACK, SORRY FOR THE PICTURE QUALITY.

#6.NAGA AX , DAO
#7. NAGA AX DAO, 30 INCHES LONG
#8. NAGA AX, DAO, 28 IN. LONG, CIRCA. 1900
#9. TWO NAGA AXES, WITH SCABBARDS AND BELTS
#10. DISPLAY WITH NAGA SHIELD AND SEVERAL NAGA AX, DAO
#11. OLD BOOK PLATE NAGA WITH FANCY HEADRESS WITH BUFFALOW
HORNS AND HORNBILL SKULLS.
#12. NAGA CROSSBOW AND A RAT TRAP. VERY POOR PICTURE BUT SHOWS THE UNUSUAL FORM.

VANDOO · 5th February 2015, 05:11 PM

MORE PICTURES
#1. IDENTIFIED AS NORTH KACHIN DAOS, MADE OF STEEL, WOOD, WITH
BRASS AND SILVER FITTINGS.
#2. NAGA DAO WITH BRASS BLADE, 18.5 INCHES LONG WITH SCABBARD.
#3. NAGA DAO ,CLOSEUP DETAIL OF HAIR INSERTS
#4. PICTURE OF THE DAO WITH HAIR INSERTS
#5. NAGA DAO WITH BRASS FERRULE, AND SCABBARD
#6. BRASS FERRULE , NAGA DAO
#7. BRASS FERRULE , DIFFERENT DESIGN, NAGA DAO
#8. NAGA DAO, BONE POMMEL DESIGN
#9. NAGA DAOS FROM ARUNACHAL PRADESH
#10. NAGA DAO, IVORY POMMEL DESIGN
#11. NAGA DAO WITH IVORY POMMEL, AND BRASS AND SILVER
#12. NAGA HAT WITH HORNS

CharlesS · 5th February 2015, 06:33 PM

EXCELLENT thread and a long overdue look at these fascinating weapons.

I have often wondered about Naga styles of blades. Are there certain styles that tend to indicate the age or era they are from, or are the styles unique to certain tribes?

GREAT job Vandoo!

VANDOO · 5th February 2015, 06:51 PM

UNFORTUNATELY I DO NOT HAVE THE KNOWLEGE OR REFRENCES TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS. I MAY EVEN BE CLASSIFING SOME TRIBES AS NAGA THAT ARE NOT

THE KACHIN AND MANY OF THOSE CLASSIFIED AS THE WILD TRIBES OF ASSAM FOR INSTANCE, DO THEY CONSIDER THEMSELVES NAGA?
I HAVE A LOT OF PICTURES AND A LITTLE INFORMATION, MANY OF WHICH I HAVE GATHERED FROM THE FORUM AND OTHER SOURCES OVER THE YEARS. I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE FOR USING PICTURES THAT MAY BE FROM OTHER MEMBERS POSTS. WHAT I AM ATTEMPTING TO DO HERE IS PUT AS MUCH INFORMATION AND AS MANY PICTURES OF THE MANY TYPES AND VARIATIONS I HAVE TOGETHER HERE AND PERHAPS A EXPERT IN THE FIELD MAY COME ALONG AND STRAIGHTEN IT OUT FOR US IN THE FUTURE.

I FEEL ITS BETTER TO HAVE SUCH A REFRENCE THAN TO DO NOTHING AT ALL.

IT IS INTERESTING AND WON'T BE LOST HERE.

VANDOO · 5th February 2015, 07:32 PM

#1. NAGA DAO, WITH SCABBARD, DETAIL OF BLADE TIP
#2. CEREMONIAL DAO, MILEMNOK, ANG TRIBE
#3. NAGA, KHASI HILLS, ASSAM BURMA, 50 INCHES LONG
#4. NORTH INDIA, NAKLANG DAO, KHASHI HILLS ,ASSAM 19 CENTURY
#5. & #6. GARO DAO, ALL STEEL NAGA SWORD, ASSAM, BURMA
#7. PRESENTATION NAGA DAO
#8. & #9. NAGA SPEARS
#10 UNUSUAL NAGA DAO/AX WITH TWO BLADES
#11. & #12. MY FAVORITE NAGA HAT, ITS MINE

DaveA · 7th February 2015, 06:32 AM

Great thread! This will be a good resource.

I am interested in the Naga and other tribes of Assam and nearby regions. Here are some notes i've picked up during my studies. This information comes from a variety of sources, not all of which can I remember. The website forensicfashion.com has notes regarding a number of ethnographic peoples of possible interest to this group.

Here are the notes:

Heath ill. Perry 1999 p22
"Regarded by some Victorian commentators as constituting 'the wildest and most turbulent tribes adjacent to any part of our Indian dominions,' the Nagas inhabited the hills that separated Assam from North-West Burma.* The most important of their 40 or so tribes were the Angamis (Ang), Aos, Kachas, Lhotas, Rengmas, Semas (also called Sumi), and numerous small tribes referred to collectively as the Eastern or Naked Nagas, or Konyaks."
Secret museum of mankind v3
"The generic term of Naga is given to a series of hill tribes in north-east India, distinguished as using no weapons but the javelin and dao, or billhook.* Little is known of them save that they were early worshippers of the serpent, whence they derive their name, 'Naga.'* Formerly inveterate marauders, their attitude towards the dwellers in the plains is less hostile now."
ASSAM-UPPER BURMA 19THC TRIBES:
Kachin
Singpho
Konyak - eastern Naga
Ang - belong to ruling clan of the Konyak.
Arya & Joshi 2004 p43
"The Angs belong to the ruling clan of the Konyak, who are distributed in Arunachal Pradesh, the Mon district of Nagaland and in Myanmar.* Each Ang exercises influence over a group of villages.* The Angs themselves come under a Great Ang."
Stirn & van Ham 2003 p37
"The*angs, the Konyak chiefs, still hold a king-like position in society and are entitled to numerous wives ... as well as to levy taxes in kind from allied villages."

… to be continued.

Dave A.

5th February 2015, 02:39 PM	#1
David R Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 1,114	I could be wrong (I often am) but to me it looks more like one of the elaborate throwing knives/axes from Africa.........

5th February 2015, 04:11 PM	#2
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	THANKS! FOR THE REPLIES ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE AS I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING JUST LIKE IT IN ANY OF THE PLACES MENTIONED. (BUT THEN I HAVE NOT SEEN EVERYTHING YET ) THE ONLY THING I AM SURE OF IS ITS OLDER THAN THE OTHER NAGA AXES I HAVE. MY KNOWLEGE OF ALL THINGS NAGA IS LIMITED AND THERE DOES SEEM TO BE QUITE A VARIETY OF WEAPONS SAID TO HAVE BEEN USED BY THE VARIOUS NAGA TRIBES IN SEVERAL AREAS. THE BLADE AND THE ABSENCE OF HAIR AND THE IRON FERRULES ON THE HANDLE DOES SET IT APART FROM TODAYS EXAMPLES. IF IT IS NAGA IT IS AN ATYPICAL FORM OR SOMETHING MODIFIED BY AN INDIVIDUAL. I TOO AM REMINDED OF AFRICAN THROWING KNIVES BUT THE BALANCE IS ALL WRONG ON THIS ITEM. MOST AFRICAN THROWING KNIVES I HAVE SEEN ARE ALL IRON WITH A FIBER OR CLOTH WRAPPED GRIP. I WILL USE THIS POST TO PUT ALL THE PICTURES OF NAGA ITEMS I HAVE FOR A REFERENCE WHICH CAN HOPEFULLY BE ADDED TO IN FUTURE.

5th February 2015, 04:37 PM	#3
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	NAGA PICTURES #1. UNUSUAL FORM, KABUI DAO, SAID TO BE FOR DANCE. #2. PLATE FROM A OLD BOOK, VARIOUS NAGA WEAPONS #3. MISHMI NAGAS, ASSAM 1922 #4. NAGAS 1870 TO 1880 #5. NAGA SKULL RACK, SORRY FOR THE PICTURE QUALITY. #6.NAGA AX , DAO #7. NAGA AX DAO, 30 INCHES LONG #8. NAGA AX, DAO, 28 IN. LONG, CIRCA. 1900 #9. TWO NAGA AXES, WITH SCABBARDS AND BELTS #10. DISPLAY WITH NAGA SHIELD AND SEVERAL NAGA AX, DAO #11. OLD BOOK PLATE NAGA WITH FANCY HEADRESS WITH BUFFALOW HORNS AND HORNBILL SKULLS. #12. NAGA CROSSBOW AND A RAT TRAP. VERY POOR PICTURE BUT SHOWS THE UNUSUAL FORM. Attached Images

5th February 2015, 05:11 PM	#4
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	MORE PICTURES #1. IDENTIFIED AS NORTH KACHIN DAOS, MADE OF STEEL, WOOD, WITH BRASS AND SILVER FITTINGS. #2. NAGA DAO WITH BRASS BLADE, 18.5 INCHES LONG WITH SCABBARD. #3. NAGA DAO ,CLOSEUP DETAIL OF HAIR INSERTS #4. PICTURE OF THE DAO WITH HAIR INSERTS #5. NAGA DAO WITH BRASS FERRULE, AND SCABBARD #6. BRASS FERRULE , NAGA DAO #7. BRASS FERRULE , DIFFERENT DESIGN, NAGA DAO #8. NAGA DAO, BONE POMMEL DESIGN #9. NAGA DAOS FROM ARUNACHAL PRADESH #10. NAGA DAO, IVORY POMMEL DESIGN #11. NAGA DAO WITH IVORY POMMEL, AND BRASS AND SILVER #12. NAGA HAT WITH HORNS Attached Images Last edited by VANDOO; 5th February 2015 at 05:25 PM.

5th February 2015, 06:33 PM	#5
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,854	EXCELLENT thread and a long overdue look at these fascinating weapons. I have often wondered about Naga styles of blades. Are there certain styles that tend to indicate the age or era they are from, or are the styles unique to certain tribes? GREAT job Vandoo!

5th February 2015, 06:51 PM	#6
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	UNFORTUNATELY I DO NOT HAVE THE KNOWLEGE OR REFRENCES TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS. I MAY EVEN BE CLASSIFING SOME TRIBES AS NAGA THAT ARE NOT THE KACHIN AND MANY OF THOSE CLASSIFIED AS THE WILD TRIBES OF ASSAM FOR INSTANCE, DO THEY CONSIDER THEMSELVES NAGA? I HAVE A LOT OF PICTURES AND A LITTLE INFORMATION, MANY OF WHICH I HAVE GATHERED FROM THE FORUM AND OTHER SOURCES OVER THE YEARS. I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE FOR USING PICTURES THAT MAY BE FROM OTHER MEMBERS POSTS. WHAT I AM ATTEMPTING TO DO HERE IS PUT AS MUCH INFORMATION AND AS MANY PICTURES OF THE MANY TYPES AND VARIATIONS I HAVE TOGETHER HERE AND PERHAPS A EXPERT IN THE FIELD MAY COME ALONG AND STRAIGHTEN IT OUT FOR US IN THE FUTURE. I FEEL ITS BETTER TO HAVE SUCH A REFRENCE THAN TO DO NOTHING AT ALL. IT IS INTERESTING AND WON'T BE LOST HERE.

5th February 2015, 07:32 PM	#7
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	#1. NAGA DAO, WITH SCABBARD, DETAIL OF BLADE TIP #2. CEREMONIAL DAO, MILEMNOK, ANG TRIBE #3. NAGA, KHASI HILLS, ASSAM BURMA, 50 INCHES LONG #4. NORTH INDIA, NAKLANG DAO, KHASHI HILLS ,ASSAM 19 CENTURY #5. & #6. GARO DAO, ALL STEEL NAGA SWORD, ASSAM, BURMA #7. PRESENTATION NAGA DAO #8. & #9. NAGA SPEARS #10 UNUSUAL NAGA DAO/AX WITH TWO BLADES #11. & #12. MY FAVORITE NAGA HAT, ITS MINE Attached Images Last edited by VANDOO; 6th February 2015 at 12:14 AM.

7th February 2015, 06:32 AM	#8
DaveA Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Wisconsin, USA Posts: 415	Notes on Naga Tribes Great thread! This will be a good resource. I am interested in the Naga and other tribes of Assam and nearby regions. Here are some notes i've picked up during my studies. This information comes from a variety of sources, not all of which can I remember. The website forensicfashion.com has notes regarding a number of ethnographic peoples of possible interest to this group. Here are the notes: Heath ill. Perry 1999 p22 "Regarded by some Victorian commentators as constituting 'the wildest and most turbulent tribes adjacent to any part of our Indian dominions,' the Nagas inhabited the hills that separated Assam from North-West Burma.* The most important of their 40 or so tribes were the Angamis (Ang), Aos, Kachas, Lhotas, Rengmas, Semas (also called Sumi), and numerous small tribes referred to collectively as the Eastern or Naked Nagas, or Konyaks." Secret museum of mankind v3 "The generic term of Naga is given to a series of hill tribes in north-east India, distinguished as using no weapons but the javelin and dao, or billhook.* Little is known of them save that they were early worshippers of the serpent, whence they derive their name, 'Naga.'* Formerly inveterate marauders, their attitude towards the dwellers in the plains is less hostile now." ASSAM-UPPER BURMA 19THC TRIBES: Kachin Singpho Konyak - eastern Naga Ang - belong to ruling clan of the Konyak. Arya & Joshi 2004 p43 "The Angs belong to the ruling clan of the Konyak, who are distributed in Arunachal Pradesh, the Mon district of Nagaland and in Myanmar.* Each Ang exercises influence over a group of villages.* The Angs themselves come under a Great Ang." Stirn & van Ham 2003 p37 "The*angs, the Konyak chiefs, still hold a king-like position in society and are entitled to numerous wives ... as well as to levy taxes in kind from allied villages." … to be continued. Dave A.