Man with a dha ?

~Alaung_Hpaya~ · 31st July 2007, 02:16 PM

Dha at Ashoka Arts

I think we all seem to be agreed that the dha looks Thai but the man is Burmese . What do you guys think about the provenance of this sword which does look remarkably similar to the one in the picture . Interestingly I think it was initially advertised as a Thai darb.

Andrew · 31st July 2007, 02:34 PM

I think the Ashoka sword is Thai. The handle/blade ratio, blade shape and engraving and handle decoration scream Thai to me. Perhaps Stefan will comment.

Mark · 31st July 2007, 07:35 PM

Yeah, I think Stefan has the attribution wrong on this one, though I notice that he has included one of the pictures of Burmese-Man-With-Thai-Daab that we have been discussing. Its interesting that there is a similar mis-match in two separate paintings, which evidently are contemporaneous. If it were not for the different headware I would have thought one was directly copied the other.

Ian · 1st August 2007, 07:02 AM

Agree with the sentiments that Stefan has a Thai sword on his site at that URL. The pictures of men in Burmese attire carrying similar style swords are inconclusive with respect to the origins of this style of sword. We know that imitation of styles among the various Burmese and Thai groups was common. Morevoer, "artistic license" may be in play here, with the artist having little understanding of the swords attributable to the various ethnic and national groups (although I think that is unlikely for an indigenous artist -- whereas a foreign artist could easily make such a mistake, especially if painting in his studio remote from the areas of interest).

The long handle to blade lengths are certainly typical of some Thai swords, notably among those in the north of the country and extending into mountainous areas of what is now Laos and Vietnam. Long handled swords are also said to have been used by the Thai cavalry in the 18th and 19th C.

I know of no reliably documented Burmese sword that has this extreme handle length. I would like to be corrected on these views by our resident Burmese and Thai nationals if they have evidence to the contrary.

Ian.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ~Alaung_Hpaya~

Dha at Ashoka Arts

I think we all seem to be agreed that the dha looks Thai but the man is Burmese . What do you guys think about the provenance of this sword which does look remarkably similar to the one in the picture . Interestingly I think it was initially advertised as a Thai darb.

31st July 2007, 02:16 PM	#1
~Alaung_Hpaya~ Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 65	Dha at Ashoka Arts I think we all seem to be agreed that the dha looks Thai but the man is Burmese . What do you guys think about the provenance of this sword which does look remarkably similar to the one in the picture . Interestingly I think it was initially advertised as a Thai darb. Last edited by ~Alaung_Hpaya~; 31st July 2007 at 02:37 PM.

31st July 2007, 02:34 PM	#2
Andrew Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,725	I think the Ashoka sword is Thai. The handle/blade ratio, blade shape and engraving and handle decoration scream Thai to me. Perhaps Stefan will comment.

31st July 2007, 07:35 PM	#3
Mark Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 987	Yeah, I think Stefan has the attribution wrong on this one, though I notice that he has included one of the pictures of Burmese-Man-With-Thai-Daab that we have been discussing. Its interesting that there is a similar mis-match in two separate paintings, which evidently are contemporaneous. If it were not for the different headware I would have thought one was directly copied the other.