Ethnographic Arms & Armour
 

Go Back   Ethnographic Arms & Armour > Discussion Forums > Ethnographic Weapons
FAQ Calendar Today's Posts Search

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 28th October 2021, 08:31 PM   #1
drac2k
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,230
Default Another Naga Dao/Axe

I just added another Naga Dao to my collection( I don't have any of the unusual shaped blades). This one is longer than my others, measuring 33" long, with a blade that measures 3.5" wide & 9.5" long.
Attached Images
     
drac2k is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29th October 2021, 01:30 AM   #2
ariel
Member
 
ariel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Posts: 5,503
Default

Here is mine. Rattan is in excellent shape, and might be relatively new.
But the blade is interesting: first time I see damascus structure.
Any thoughts?
Attached Images
     
ariel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29th October 2021, 01:39 AM   #3
Montino Bourbon
Member
 
Montino Bourbon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Santa Barbara, California
Posts: 301
Default

Did you find that in a thrift store in Santa Barbara? I might have seen it. Not my area of interest, but a very fine find.
Montino Bourbon is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29th October 2021, 03:19 AM   #4
ariel
Member
 
ariel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Posts: 5,503
Default

Got it from e-bay about 30 years ago, the seller was from Indiana.
Never seen damascus Dao before or after that.
Not my area of interest either:-)
ariel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30th October 2021, 01:25 PM   #5
David R
Member
 
David R's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,079
Default

I have read that from the later 19thC on a lot of the blades were forged from a stolen Tea Plantation spade split down the middle to make two blades. Done because the steel was a lot better quality than they could make themselves, and this is why the blade shape is as it is. Still used in the traditional manner by the local tribesmen though.

If this is the actual case, then the odder shapes and laminated blades will be the earlier, from before the introduction of tea planting in the area.... and a real prize.
David R is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30th October 2021, 02:00 PM   #6
Sajen
Member
 
Sajen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
Posts: 8,761
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by ariel View Post
Here is mine. Rattan is in excellent shape, and might be relatively new.
But the blade is interesting: first time I see damascus structure.
Any thoughts?
Hello Ariel,

What you have is a Kachin dao and not a Naga dao. It seems that Naga used them but they are still Kachin.
The lamination is in most cases a hairpin lamination but I think to remember to have seen them with other laminations.

Regards,
Detlef
Sajen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 31st October 2021, 02:30 AM   #7
drac2k
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,230
Default

Good to know about the laminations being on older blades; even though you can not tell by the pictures, mine does.
drac2k is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 1st November 2021, 09:39 PM   #8
ariel
Member
 
ariel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Posts: 5,503
Default

You might be right. But the blade on mine had been cleaned ( see area bu the handle). Your handle does show age, and mine does not. But as I said, the handle on mine ( especially the rattan) looks new-ish: organic parts tend to rot and be replaced.

I have read the same info about the source of blades as mentioned by David ( was it in Rawson?). I have never thought about the laminations being used for dating, but it sounds interesting and intriguing.
ariel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2nd November 2021, 03:59 AM   #9
Ian
Vikingsword Staff
 
Ian's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: The Aussie Bush
Posts: 4,194
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by ariel View Post
... I have read the same info about the source of blades as mentioned by David ( was it in Rawson?). ...
Yes, that was from Rawson. He showed an example in his book. I think Rawson attributes the steel to stolen hoe blades. British tea plantations in Assam and neighboring areas began in the 18th C. These areas are generally considered "iron-poor" so a lot of recycling of old iron/steel occurred, and many weapons were imported from neighboring and distant tribal groups, including the Burmese, Shan, Kachin/Lisu and Achang.
Ian is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2nd November 2021, 02:08 PM   #10
drac2k
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,230
Default

Any comments on my Dao? I feel that my post has been visited by a cuckoo bird, LOL.
drac2k is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2nd November 2021, 02:25 PM   #11
David R
Member
 
David R's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,079
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by drac2k View Post
Any comments on my Dao? I feel that my post has been visited by a cuckoo bird, LOL.
Most comments have been about your Dao with side references to Dao in general. Truly there is not that much that can be said about about a generic example of a generic weapon.
David R is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2nd November 2021, 02:33 PM   #12
colin henshaw
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,430
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by drac2k View Post
Any comments on my Dao? I feel that my post has been visited by a cuckoo bird, LOL.
Its a nice dao, I particularly like the red-dyed rattan and goat hair. These Naga/Assam daos come in different varieties and yours is a good example of its type.
colin henshaw is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2nd November 2021, 02:55 PM   #13
drac2k
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,230
Default

Thanks, Colin. There seems to be a significant variation in the length of the handles on these; is there any particular reason for this?
drac2k is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2nd November 2021, 05:20 PM   #14
colin henshaw
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,430
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by drac2k View Post
Thanks, Colin. There seems to be a significant variation in the length of the handles on these; is there any particular reason for this?
Presumably, if the blade length was shorter (maybe due to iron availability), a longer handle would be required to get a better swing at the target...

It could also be just a matter of style tradition within that particular tribal group; it should be remembered that tribal peoples in the historic period were often very conservative regarding their material culture.
colin henshaw is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24th November 2021, 06:10 PM   #15
drac2k
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,230
Default And Another One.

It seems that things tend to come in bunches; here is another Naga Dao that recently became available to me. It is different from the previous one listed in that it has a ridge across the blade on one side; maybe vestiges of a repurposed tool.
Attached Images
        
drac2k is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24th November 2021, 06:16 PM   #16
drac2k
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,230
Default

OOOPS, please disregard the top 2 pictures as they go to another post. Our Posting Department Head would be severely disciplined, however since she has threatened to quit on numerous occasions, I better let this one go!
drac2k is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24th November 2021, 08:40 PM   #17
kai
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,254
Lightbulb

Quote:
OOOPS, please disregard the top 2 pictures as they go to another post.
You can edit the post within 24h and remove specific attachments.
kai is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 05:42 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Posts are regarded as being copyrighted by their authors and the act of posting material is deemed to be a granting of an irrevocable nonexclusive license for display here.