Bhutanese weapons

[chregu]

Hi, everyone
In connection with my work, I have been to Bhutan several times. I visited various museums and private collections. I'm not a great expert, I just want to show what I've seen and experienced.

[chregu]

the utility knife (batang)
this is used in daily household chores and at work. it is used in the kitchen to cut meat and vegetables or to chop wood

[chregu]

the dagger
the dagger is rarely seen today, it is only worn by old men with their national costume

[chregu]

the sword
the sword may only be wielded by men of high status (nobility). As a sign of their status, they wear a white cape with a red stripe.

[chregu]

workshop for traditional handicrafts near Timpu

[chregu]

silversmith
workshop for traditional handicrafts near Timpu

[chregu]

helmet
A kind of wool cap is placed on the head and the helmet shell is placed on top of that

[chregu]

the shield
what this shield is made of I cannot say. but all the others i saw were made of steel

[JBG163]

Thanks for sharing Chregu ! Lucky to have been able to go there. I hope to be able to travel in this beautiful country one day !

[chregu]

bow and arrow
archery is a national sport in bhutan. in almost every village there is a shooting range where the male population meets once a week.

[David R]

Thank you. Not a Nation we see much of here.

[Jerseyman]

Thank you very much for sharing these pictures. It's great to see the weapons in their context.

[kronckew]

Cool, I especially like the Archery target, I've read that villages compete shooting at them from a few hundred yards points are scored for hitting close, or hitting 5the board, more for hitting dead centre. Festive boozy occasions, and the women take turns scathingly berating the men from the other village and insulting their skills. Sometimes they shoot from one village to the target field on the other, across ravines from each other too.

Bows are made from bamboo sections, overlapped in the centre (as in your pics) & are rather high poundage. Archery is the national sport & They do well at the Olympics.

My Ban short sword, a basic one. it's a razor, and quite heavy, hairpin laminated steel. One of my favourites. Some members here have much fancier ones...I gather they come from the Bhutan region near nepal/tibet who buy them as well. I have a small Bhutanese dossum as well. It has the Bhutan Dragon emblem, the ones they make for Tibet are decorated without the dragon, more florally, I've been told.