A rare Burmese dha

[Iain]

I haven't shared additions to my collection in some time but this one is interesting enough to be worth a post.

While quite a simple sword this one is notable for the rare tip form and also that the scabbard is complete including the original lacquer. The handle is bamboo and retains the 'ribs' of the original material paired with simple iron mounts. A true fighting dha.

The last image shows it next to a pair of northern Thai daab.

[kai]

Nice one, Iain!

Can it be attributed to one of the highland groups?

BTW, looks like the hilt is made from rattan rather than bamboo.

Regards,
Kai

[Ian]

Hi Iain,

Nice old dha/daab. The hilt looks longer than usually seen on Burmese dha. Can you explain why you think this is Burmese rather than Thai or Lao.

Ian

[Iain]

Originally Posted by kai

Nice one, Iain!

Can it be attributed to one of the highland groups?

BTW, looks like the hilt is made from rattan rather than bamboo.

Regards,
Kai

Hi Kai, its bamboo I am fairly sure. Most likely the variety known as "iron bamboo" and in this case its solid rather than hollow.

Attribution is quite difficult and I would hesitate to name a particular group with any certainty.

[Iain]

Originally Posted by Ian

Hi Iain,

Nice old dha/daab. The hilt looks longer than usually seen on Burmese dha. Can you explain why you think this is Burmese rather than Thai or Lao.

Ian

Hi Ian, there are a few indicators in this case that point to a Burmese origin. The tip form is not one that seems common on the Thai or Laos side of the border as well as the spine shape and decoration. Of course there is a chance it could be from either country, but I would find that unlikely.

In terms of the hilt length its certainly longer than many Burmese examples but not unusual compared to some of the Burmese silver or samrit mounted types.

[Ian]

Hi Iain,

Yes, the tip does seem unusual. However, I think that some of this is due to wear. What may once have been a fairly squared off end, or perhaps slightly concave, seems to have lost some steel on its lower edge--the part of the tip that is rounded off. If we account for some significant wear there, then the tip was probably not all that unusual when it was created. There are certainly Thai and Lao daab that had square ends or slightly concave ones. Another possibility is a HuSa daab from the Achang in southern Yunnan. They make fine quality swords and are culturally related to the Shan, who are found in northern Thailand, the Shan States of south-eastern Burma/Myanmar, and southern Yunnan. I'm thinking this sword was made it that general area.

I doubt that this is a Burman dha. It would be good to see pictures of the spine which you mention as indicating a Burmese origin.

[Iain]

Originally Posted by Ian

Hi Iain,

Yes, the tip does seem unusual. However, I think that some of this is due to wear. What may once have been a fairly squared off end, or perhaps slightly concave, seems to have lost some steel on its lower edge--the part of the tip that is rounded off. If we account for some significant wear there, then the tip was probably not all that unusual when it was created. There are certainly Thai and Lao daab that had square ends or slightly concave ones. Another possibility is a HuSa daab from the Achang in southern Yunnan. They make fine quality swords and are culturally related to the Shan, who are found in northern Thailand, the Shan States of south-eastern Burma/Myanmar, and southern Yunnan. I'm thinking this sword was made it that general area.

I doubt that this is a Burman dha. It would be good to see pictures of the spine which you mention as indicating a Burmese origin.

Hi Ian,

Thanks for your comments, I have the benefit of course of having the sword in hand and I am quite sure the tip has not seen significant losses or reshaping. This is an uncommon but not unknown tip form and was definitely made this way.

I'm including a few images of the spine and decoration, these elements taken as a group are what leads me to attribute it as Burmese, although I do not mean it is an ethnicallly Bamar sword. In fact another that I am attaching is very similar in terms of the blade profile although a lot more bling! That one was sold some years ago by a dealer.

It very likely is from the north of Burma and could easily be from as far north as Yunnan. As you well know the same ethnic groups can be found on both sides including the Shan. I don't think we can put an exact ethnic label on this piece but I am quite confident it is from within the modern borders of Burma.

[Ian]

Hi Iain,

Thanks for your reply and the pics of your other sword. The hilt and scabbard of your second one are unusual and might well be from an area to the north of Burma/Myanmar or Yunnan. The blade with its slightly concave tip and those particular curved marks just below the spine are features that can be found on swords from HuSa. [A friend calls these curved-bladed dha, with the curve following through to the hilt, "grinning dha." There are similar Thai examples.]

There is a documented history of the Achang people supplying blades and complete swords to the Kachin (in northern Burma and neighboring Yunnan) when the latter transitioned from their traditional dao in its open-faced scabbard to Shan style dha in the second half of the 19th C. The Kachin sword was, however, straight and had either a squared off or a concave tip similar to your second example. The blade width was fairly uniform from hilt to tip, as your second example appears to be. It is this feature of consistent blade width that led me to think that the tip of your original example may be missing a little steel on the edge side at the tip--the blade seems to narrow there.

Lastly, I don't recognize the hilt style on your second sword. As you say, it could be from north of Burma of Yunnan. I have found HuSa marks on blades in Tibet, Assam, and neighboring areas. They seem to have been traded widely.

Regards,

Ian

[Iain]

Originally Posted by Ian

Hi Iain,

Thanks for your reply and the pics of your other sword. The hilt and scabbard of your second one are unusual and might well be from an area to the north of Burma/Myanmar or Yunnan. The blade with its slightly concave tip and those particular curved marks just below the spine are features that can be found on swords from HuSa. [A friend calls these curved-bladed dha, with the curve following through to the hilt, "grinning dha." There are similar Thai examples.]

There is a documented history of the Achang people supplying blades and complete swords to the Kachin (in northern Burma and neighboring Yunnan) when the latter transitioned from their traditional dao in its open-faced scabbard to Shan style dha in the second half of the 19th C. The Kachin sword was, however, straight and had either a squared off or a concave tip similar to your second example. The blade width was fairly uniform from hilt to tip, as your second example appears to be. It is this feature of consistent blade width that led me to think that the tip of your original example may be missing a little steel on the edge side at the tip--the blade seems to narrow there.

Lastly, I don't recognize the hilt style on your second sword. As you say, it could be from north of Burma of Yunnan. I have found HuSa marks on blades in Tibet, Assam, and neighboring areas. They seem to have been traded widely.

Regards,

Ian

Hi Ian,

Just to be clear the ruby decorated sword is not one I own, it was sold by a high profile dealer some years ago who did a good job of researching it. It's almost certainly part of a Shan leader's regalia. You can seen a very similar sword in the attached picture on the left.

These didn't always have the squared off tips, some were pointed as well. So I wouldn't use the tip style alone as a regional identifier. The same with the blade decoration on mine, its a pretty common motif and can be found on Laos and Thai work as well. The tip I think was often simply a personal choice of the owner, one of the reasons I enjoy dha/daab so much is the seemingly endless variety.

Achang and Husa sword blades tend to be rather straight rather than curved like mine. So while we can't rule out it, it would be unusual for Husa work.

[Iain]

Another aspect that is worth pointing out is the scabbard of this sword, I have not often encountered scabbards retaining their original lacquer and this also has the original rattan bindings. The form on these is a bit unusual as well but the same can be seen on a sword Oriental-Arms sold on the past (http://oriental-arms.co.il/photos.php?id=1524). While that example has silver fittings as well, the rattan bindings are of an identical style to mine, which can be see in the image in my first post in this thread.