Origins and age of this Dha "priests" knife

CharlesS · 11th April 2015, 08:18 AM

Absolutely no tourist piece! The blade and fittings are both older and of excellent quality. I just don't think it's a so called priest's knife.

Perhaps dha-hmyaung (knife) is more appropriate??

archer · 11th April 2015, 05:48 PM

So Hmyaung it is. Searching old posts referencing the Hmyaung As having widely varying origins, i see why no attempts were made to pin down origins.
Thank you all for your input, Steve

Nathaniel · 11th April 2015, 07:15 PM

Hello Steve,

Lovely dress knife. Good blade, nice silverwork, great condition. I really like the multi sided handle and sheath, not as common.

dha-hmyaung (Dagger) would be a correct term in Burmese for this type of knife. The source of this name is the book from Sylvia Frazer Lu book Burmese Crafts Past and Present. In Thai, Meed = knife.

Priests knife I think usually is more associated with the Thai knives that have writing along the blades and scabbards ie Yantra..prayers usually for protection.

Having an item blessed with prayers for protection is very common...for things like safety when hunting in the jungle were there are wild beasts such as tigers, or when going into battle.

11th April 2015, 05:48 PM	#2
archer Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 373	Thank you all So Hmyaung it is. Searching old posts referencing the Hmyaung As having widely varying origins, i see why no attempts were made to pin down origins. Thank you all for your input, Steve

11th April 2015, 07:15 PM	#3
Nathaniel Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 865	Hello Steve, Lovely dress knife. Good blade, nice silverwork, great condition. I really like the multi sided handle and sheath, not as common. dha-hmyaung (Dagger) would be a correct term in Burmese for this type of knife. The source of this name is the book from Sylvia Frazer Lu book Burmese Crafts Past and Present. In Thai, Meed = knife. Priests knife I think usually is more associated with the Thai knives that have writing along the blades and scabbards ie Yantra..prayers usually for protection. Having an item blessed with prayers for protection is very common...for things like safety when hunting in the jungle were there are wild beasts such as tigers, or when going into battle. Last edited by Nathaniel; 11th April 2015 at 07:43 PM.

11th April 2015, 08:18 AM	#1
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,854	Absolutely no tourist piece! The blade and fittings are both older and of excellent quality. I just don't think it's a so called priest's knife. Perhaps dha-hmyaung (knife) is more appropriate??