NAGA TRIBAL WEAPONS

[VANDOO]

I HAVE WHAT I THINK IS A OLDER FORM OF NAGA AX . THE BLADE IS 24.8 CM. X 12 CM AND THE TOTAL LEGNTH IS 50.2 CM. LONG TOTAL. WOOD HANDLE WITH SMOOTH WEAR AND HEAVY PATINA, FORGED IRON FERRULE AND BUTT STRAP. FROM A OLD DUTCH COLLECTION CIRCA 19TH CENTURY.
#1, #2. & #3. TWO PICTURES OF MY UNUSUAL AX. AND ONE PICTURE WITH
MY OTHER NAGA AXES FOR COMPARISON.
#4. OLD PICTURE OF NAGA WEAPONS WITH OLDER FORM OF
AX SIMULAR BUT NOT THE SAME AS MY EXAMPLE. CIRC 1873.
#5. ANOTHER OLD PICTURE OF NAGA WEAPONS EXAMPLES OF MANY FORMS
#6. NAGA WARRIORS
#7. KONYAK, NAGA
#8. NAGAS CIRCA 1930
#9.NAGAS
#10. NAGA DAO WITH UNUSUAL SCABBARD
#11. VARIOUS NAGA WEAPONS
#12. NAGA WARRIOR, OLD PICTURE
ALL OPINIONS AND INFORMATION WELCOME.

[colin henshaw]

Hi VANDOO, seems like only you and me...

Nice interesting piece, not sure if it is in fact Naga, the profile of the handle is different. Maybe Assam or elsewhere in South East Asia. If from an old Dutch collection, perhaps Indonesia somewhere. Hopefully, someone will know

[trenchwarfare]

I haven't said anything, cuz I don't have a clue. I like it. Somehow feels Cambodian to me.

[David R]

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

[VANDOO]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

#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

[VANDOO]

#1. & #2. ASSAM NAGA DAO CIRCA. 1800 33INCHES LONG, SILVER
#3.,#4., #5., #6., #7, #8.& #9. ASSAM , NORTH EAST INDIA, SEE RAWSON FIG. 46, KUKI DAO, A UNUSUAL FORM OF NAGA KNIFE PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED ON FORUM
#10. SAID TO BE A NAGA SWORD FROM FLORES BURMA
#11. NAGA SKULL RACK
#12. NAGA , ANGAMI TRIBE

[VANDOO]

#1. KACHIN DAO
#2. KACHIN DAO, WITH SCABBARD AND LARGE RODENT JAW TAILSMAN
#3. KACHIN DAO WITH LEOPARD JAW TAILSMAN
#4. NAGA HATS WITH BEAR FUR
#5. NAGA DAO AX
#6. NAGA DAO WITH SCABBERD AND BELT WITH COWRIE SHELLS
#7. & #8. NAGA DAO WITH BONE BELT
#9. NAGA DAO, 61 CM. LONG
#10. NAGA DAO, 64.3 CM. LONG
#11. NAGA DAO, 70.5 CM. LONG
#12. DETAIL OF SHELL DECORATION ON NAGA DAO BELT

[VANDOO]

THE LAST ONES FOR NOW.
#1. OLD HIDE SHIELD, I REFRAINED FROM SAYING NAGA HIDE
#2. NAGA SKULL HOUSE
#3. NAGALAND TRIBAL HOUSE INDIA
#4. NAGA WITH LEOPARD OR TIGER CLAW CHIN STRAP FOR HIS HAT
#5. NAGALAND
#6. NAGA SENTRYS BRIGHT EYED AND BUSHY TAILED.

THERE IS A BOOK BY RAWSON THAT HAS A DRAWING OF SEVERAL TYPES OF NAGA DAOS BUT I CAN NOT GET IT TO POST PERHAPS SOMEONE WITH THE BOOK CAN ADD IT.

[trenchwarfare]

Absolutely beautiful Naga Items Vandoo! What about this one? No one who has commented on this thread, has commented on my thread on this sword. Being from the same general region, I thought there would me more feedback? In my research, there are photos of only two examples. Mine, and one other. Not trying to hijack this thread. Just looking for answers.

[VANDOO]

THIS IS A GOOD ADDITION TO THE POST AND HOPEFULLY SOMEONE WITH BETTER REFRENCES OR KNOWLEGE MAY COME TO THE RESCUE.
THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT TRIBES, CUSTOMS, LANGUAGES AND VARIATIONS OF WEAPONS IN THE REGION. IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE A ITEM THAT FALLS OUTSIDE OF THE NORMS WHICH ARE PICTURED IN THE FEW REFRENCE BOOKS.
YOUR SWORD LOOKS A LOT LIKE A BLADE WITH A SHORT TANG SO IT MAY HAVE HAD A DIFFERENT LESS STURDY HANDLE AT SOME TIME. THE GRIP NOW ON THE BLADE WILL BE MORE STURDY BUT MAY BE A MAKSHIFT TEMPORARY REPAIR MADE SO THE SWORD COULD STILL BE USED. OR IT COULD BE A TRUE FORM OF SWORD IN SOME REGION OR TRIBE.

[trenchwarfare]

What you see on the pommel, is just an add-on. The hilt is two-handed. 29" blade, with an overall length of 38 1/2"

[Royston]

Vandoo,
Is the hilt round or oval in cross section?

Apart from the " Dha-like" examples all the other Nagas I have seen are not round.
It is a bit of a puzzle and I have not seen one the same, although, as you say it is very similar to some in the photos.

Regards
Roy

[VANDOO]

THE FERRULE AND THE IRON STRAP AROUND THE BUTT OF THE HANDLE ARE FORGED BUT ROUND. THE WOOD SHAFT IS SOMEWHAT IRREGULAR BUT BASICALLY ROUND. IT IS TAPERED DOWN SMALL AT THE BUTT AND THE GRIP IS CLOSER TO THE HEAD WHERE THE GRIP AND BALANCE IS RIGHT, IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR FIGHTING UP CLOSE BUT DOSEN'T ADD MUCH TO YOUR REACH. IT KIND OF LOOKS LIKE A TREE BRANCH WAS USED AND ROUGHED OUT TAPERED AND SMOOTHED LEAVING IT CLOSE TO ITS NATURAL SHAPE NOT TURNED BY MACHINE. THE BLADE IS SHARP ON THE INSIDE CURVE AND AROUND THE ROUNDED AX BLADE AT THE SIDE.
THE BLADE IS 1/2 INCH THICK AT THE FORTE AND TAPERS DOWN TO 1/16 INCH AT THE SPINE TIP. IT IS MADE FROM ONE PIECE OF STEEL AND I SEE NO TRACES OF ANY FORGED WELDS. THERE IS AN X ROUGHLY CUT ON THE SPINE COMING DOWN ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BLADE AND AN INDENTATION THAT MAY BE A VERY CRUDE MAKERS MARK ON ONE SIDE TO THE BLADES MIDDLE. HERE ARE TWO POOR PICTURES ONE SHOWING THE FERRULES AND GRIP AND ONE THE SPINE OF THE BLADE.

[trenchwarfare]

Looks like a Mak blade, hammer welded to another style axe?

[Will M]

Originally Posted by VANDOO

#1. & #2. ASSAM NAGA DAO CIRCA. 1800 33INCHES LONG, SILVER
#3.,#4., #5., #6., #7, #8.& #9. ASSAM , NORTH EAST INDIA, SEE RAWSON FIG. 46, KUKI DAO, A UNUSUAL FORM OF NAGA KNIFE PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED ON FORUM
#10. SAID TO BE A NAGA SWORD FROM FLORES BURMA
#11. NAGA SKULL RACK
#12. NAGA , ANGAMI TRIBE

Fantastic looking Naga knife with brass grip. What is the purpose of this odd grip configuration and the particular shape of blade?

[VANDOO]

OLD FORUM POSTS LINKS THAT TIE IN TO NAGA.
http://http://www.vikingsword.com/vb...highlight=KUKI

THERE ARE 3 OLD POSTS WITH INFO ON THE BRASS HANDLED KNIFE BUT I CAN'T GET THE LINKS TO TRANSFER TO THIS POST. A SEARCH OF KUKI WILL BRING THEM ALL UP

[DaveA]

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.

[DaveA]

I also recommend perusing the book, "The Sema Nagas" by Hutton, J.H (1921) available for download in a variety of formats at https://archive.org/details/semanagas00hutthttps://archive.org/details/semanagas00hutt

( See https://archive.org/search.php?query...n+people%29%22 for several other Naga related resources )

Here is a quote from the book (p.20) that compares the different types of daos used by the various Naga tribes (emphasis and formatting is mine). It may be useful for identifying some of the weapons in the pictures shown elsewhere in this thread:

"The Sema dao, like the Chekrama and Kezami dao, has a longish handle and is carried slung in a wooden carrier on the right buttock or at the small of the back, with the edge inwards. It is drawn with the right hand from the right side,not over the shoulder like a Chang dao.

Several varieties of the dao may be found in the Sema country, but the prevailing type has a straight back and straight top at right angles to it about 3 1/2 inches wide, from which the blade gradually narrows to the handle, usually of male bamboo, into which it is fastened by a tang, the end of the handle being bound with cane, iron, or wire to keep it from splitting. The whole weapon is over 2 feet long and is often ornamented, the blade being roughly etched round the edge of the back and top and the handle being made bright with brass wire, or red and yellow cane, and with a few tufts of long red hair let into the haft at the top.

The Lhota type of dao, which has a curved back, and the Ao type, with a very broad blade, are common enough, and the iron-handled daos made by Changs and Tukhemmi are popular when obtainable. These daos are of quite a different make, the handle in both cases being made of iron to lap round a wooden peg and merging into the blade, which in the case of the Chang variety is very long and narrow, the metal being sloped off towards the back edge, and with a more or less curved end, while the Tukhemmi dao is hatchet-shaped with a deep indenture at the top. The Semas who acquire these daos let the inevitable tuft of red hair into the wooden peg which forms the end of the haft. Double-bladed daos are also occasionally to be seen in the Sema country. They seem to be copies of a Tangkhul type, which may have been inspired by the shape of the imported iron hoes from which daos are made, and which usually have a pronounced mid-rib.

Attached is an illustration from the book with the following caption and information:

"Sema and Other Naga Daos Used By Them"
1. Sema dao (Azhta)
2. Double-bladed Sema dao, Tangkhul type.
3. Konyak Blades. These two are not used by Semas as a rule.
4. Lhota type (akyekeh)
5. Chakrima Angami blade
6 and 7. Iron-handles dais (ailaghi), (1) Chang, (2) Tukhemmi or Kalyo-Kengyu.
8. Ao-Konyak blade

[DaveA]

This map is from "The Lhota Nagas", page 233. It is available for download at:
https://archive.org/details/cu31924024053534

Shown: Lhotas, Aos, Konyaks, Phoms, Changs, Sangtams, Yachungrr, Semas, Sangtams, Rengmas, Angamis, Naked Rengmas, Southern Sangtams, Tangkhuls

[spiral]

Top quality thread Guys! Interesting & educational! Thank you!

spiral

[Royston]

Here are some of mine to add to the collection.
I have posted some of these before, but it is better to have them all in one place.
The first and second to last are the metal shafted examples. Numbers 6 and 7 in Dave A's post.
Regards
Roy

[fearn]

I'm currently rereading James C Scott's The Art of Not Being Governed, which is a great history of "Upland Southeast Asia" and helps explain the origin of the great diversity of peoples in the area.

F

[VANDOO]

A VERY NICE COLLECTION WITH SOME COOL ITEMS I HAD NOT SEEN BEFORE. HERE ARE A FEW MORE PICTURES. #1., #9, &#10 kachin dao, 88cm. LONG
#2. NAGA WEAPONS PLATE FROM RAWSON'S BOOK
#3. REPLICA OF A NAGA HEADHUNTING TROPHY WITH A SPEAR POINT FINAL
#4, #5, #6, & #8. NAGA DAO 78 CM. LONG, NOTE DESIGNS ON SCABBARD DETAIL.
#7. NAGA DAO 81 CM. LONG FIRST HALF OF 20TH CENTURY

[blacklacrau]

What do you think about this one?

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5685

[DaveA]

Blacklacrau,

From the attached illustration it appears that your weapon may be a dao originating with the Konyak Nagas.

See my earlier post in this thread, #10

- Dave A.