Naga axe for comment

Tim Simmons · 15th July 2005, 07:18 PM

Thanks for the replies gentlemen, I should have made it more clear about the block type holder though a type of scabbard was also used, I shall post pictures to illustrate latter. If I could of robbed a bank that weapon from 'Ashoka' would have been a very nice thing to have. They Know who they are, stop holding out and show us the weapon.

The weapon seen briefly on the forum some years ago was of the first picture I post not the version of 'Ashoka' very kindly brought to our attention. Tim

Ian · 15th July 2005, 07:45 PM

Well, Tim, I guess I better fess up and admit to owning a couple of these. There is an old thread where I posted pictures of a "Kuki dao" -- Rawson attributes these dao to the Kuki people. They coexist with the Naga but are on unfriendly terms with the Naga, historically and even relatively recently.

This is the brief thread from a few years ago: http://www.vikingsword.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000507.html

These are the pictures from that thread:

Ian.

Tim Simmons · 15th July 2005, 07:51 PM

Thank you sir, how wonderful!

you lucky antipodean

Tim Simmons · 15th July 2005, 08:29 PM

This fellow is a head man and has taken six heads prior to converting to christianity. The picture is from the afore mentioned, Land of jade, here we see the Kachin type of weapon. This chap is also pictured in a must have book, The Nagas, hill peoples of northeast India, Julian Jacobs, Thames and Hudson 1990. In this publication there are black and white photos of him as a young man in the 1930s and a colour version of this picture. He is probably dead now. Tim

dennee · 16th July 2005, 03:05 PM

Tim,

Thanks for the photo. I confess that I couldn't make out the details of the weapon very well, so I went to the color photo in Jacobs. In that picture, it is also impossible to see the blade, but the hilt is more visible. While it may be shorter than the average Naga axe hilt, it otherwise seems fairly typical. It is round in section, without the swelling, elliptical pommel of the Kachin (or Khamti) dao. There are two plaited cane rings, presumably for grip, which is less common on Naga weapons, but certainly not unheard of (on your first post, there is colored plaited cane on the lower part of the haft, for instance). The Kachin type dao usually has some sort of cane along the entire grip, frequently lacquered. The Kachin dao also often had a brass ferule at the lower part of the hilt and a contrasting material, often ivory, as a pommel cap. Of course, there are many examples that have simple wood pommels, also "swollen"--probably more common, representing wealth differences, and possibly more common in the early twentieth century?

15th July 2005, 07:18 PM	#1
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,843	Thanks for the replies gentlemen, I should have made it more clear about the block type holder though a type of scabbard was also used, I shall post pictures to illustrate latter. If I could of robbed a bank that weapon from 'Ashoka' would have been a very nice thing to have. They Know who they are, stop holding out and show us the weapon. The weapon seen briefly on the forum some years ago was of the first picture I post not the version of 'Ashoka' very kindly brought to our attention. Tim Attached Images Last edited by Tim Simmons; 15th July 2005 at 07:36 PM.

15th July 2005, 07:51 PM	#3
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,843	Thank you sir, how wonderful! you lucky antipodean Last edited by Tim Simmons; 15th July 2005 at 09:19 PM. Reason: SPELLING!!!

15th July 2005, 07:45 PM	#2
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,361	Well, Tim, I guess I better fess up and admit to owning a couple of these. There is an old thread where I posted pictures of a "Kuki dao" -- Rawson attributes these dao to the Kuki people. They coexist with the Naga but are on unfriendly terms with the Naga, historically and even relatively recently. This is the brief thread from a few years ago: http://www.vikingsword.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000507.html These are the pictures from that thread: Ian.

15th July 2005, 08:29 PM	#4
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,843	This fellow is a head man and has taken six heads prior to converting to christianity. The picture is from the afore mentioned, Land of jade, here we see the Kachin type of weapon. This chap is also pictured in a must have book, The Nagas, hill peoples of northeast India, Julian Jacobs, Thames and Hudson 1990. In this publication there are black and white photos of him as a young man in the 1930s and a colour version of this picture. He is probably dead now. Tim

16th July 2005, 03:05 PM	#5
dennee Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: College Park, MD Posts: 186	Tim, Thanks for the photo. I confess that I couldn't make out the details of the weapon very well, so I went to the color photo in Jacobs. In that picture, it is also impossible to see the blade, but the hilt is more visible. While it may be shorter than the average Naga axe hilt, it otherwise seems fairly typical. It is round in section, without the swelling, elliptical pommel of the Kachin (or Khamti) dao. There are two plaited cane rings, presumably for grip, which is less common on Naga weapons, but certainly not unheard of (on your first post, there is colored plaited cane on the lower part of the haft, for instance). The Kachin type dao usually has some sort of cane along the entire grip, frequently lacquered. The Kachin dao also often had a brass ferule at the lower part of the hilt and a contrasting material, often ivory, as a pommel cap. Of course, there are many examples that have simple wood pommels, also "swollen"--probably more common, representing wealth differences, and possibly more common in the early twentieth century?