Dao from Naga of Assam ?

thomas hauschild · 23rd May 2017, 07:22 PM

Hi everybody

It is my first thread as a new member so at first I like to introduce myself shortly. My name Thomas Hauschild from germany. I ´m 52 years old working as a production manager and a semiprofessional knifemaker. I forge my blades, make my own damascus and I ´m member of the german knifemakerguild. I ´ve started my collection with a first piece because of the strong wish to forge an own "parang" without the knowledge what a "parang" is or what it should looke like in that time. Luckily or not luckily ( luckily I ´ve got a good piece for my money, unluckily I became addicted to collect ;-)my first piece was real usable one. My focus for collection is not on special type or area were the pieces comes from. My focus is on well forged blades with a good balance, pieces that feels "right" in the hand. I will be here to learn, so any information will be welcome.( I will ad more information in the profile)

First thread is a dao / 2-hand sword from the people of Naga from Assam / India ? I have found only minor information without having the right keyword for google. 60 cm blade till the forged guard , totaly 83 cm. Full metal, one piece. Near the edges there are some pattern lines visible. Maybe a raffinated steel/iron. One edge shows some darker areas maybe there is a steel core visible ( san mai ). This is all I know about this well forged piece. I can ´t realy imagine how many work it was to create such a piece. I hope to get some more information. ( hope to made everything right with the pics)

Best thomas

Bob A · 23rd May 2017, 07:55 PM

Welcome to the site.

For further information on the Naga people, I recommend the books of Ursula Graham Bower. Hers is an interesting story, and I always enjoy having some background information on the items I collect.

She has a Wikipedia link, but I'm having a problem creating a usable link.

Of all the weapons I now have, the one with the best "feel" in hand is a jimpul I obtained from Oriental-Arms.

Your sword is quite similar to one in my collection. I've seen a couple others in the last year or so.

Battara · 23rd May 2017, 09:36 PM

Wellkommen!

Can't add much more but it is a nice and complete example!

Ian · 23rd May 2017, 11:05 PM

Hello Thomas and welcome to the Forum!

This unusual style of sword is said to come from the Garo people. Ian Heath's volume on the NE Frontier* shows a picture of the Garo's weapons and also a number of line drawings of Garo warriors carrying these swords. I have copied those figures here.

The Garo are an ethnic group distinct from the Naga and have a fairly wide distribution in NE India as well as Bangladesh.

Ian.

* Ian Heath. Armies of the Nineteenth Century: Asia. Volume 3: India's North-Eastern Frontier. Foundry, 1999.

thomas hauschild · 25th May 2017, 10:23 AM

Thanks a lot for the pictures. I was not realy sure which would be the right way to hold. This is also clear now.

Best regards and thanks a lot for your help

Thomas

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 25th May 2017, 08:08 PM

Salaams, thomas hauschild, I dug up a couple of indicators on this weapon which is a Twa Hander!! The Garo Dao.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

ausjulius · 27th May 2017, 06:31 PM

hello this is not a naga weapon.. it is a garo weapon from garoland ,....similar people but not naga . they still make these.. i have seen examples on youtube videos showing a cultural display in a garo tribal area in bangladesh in 2015!

weird weapon...

Rick · 27th May 2017, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ausjulius

hello this is not a naga weapon.. it is a garo weapon from garoland ,....similar people but not naga . they still make these.. i have seen examples on youtube videos showing a cultural display in a garo tribal area in bangladesh in 2015!

weird weapon...

Usually form follows function; it would seem not to apply in this case.

thomas hauschild · 27th May 2017, 08:23 PM

Thanks ausjulius

Yes Ibrahim wrote, that it is from the garo-people. My information "naga" was with a "?" . It was named like this in an auction of a similar piece at oriental arms ( link from wiki germany ) , now I know that garo is right.

Thanks and best tegards thomas

Marcus · 28th May 2017, 05:17 PM

I was not familiar with this type until I read this thread a couple days ago. Yesterday I was watching a live auction and when this piece came up. I bid and won it. Their description was:

NAGA HEADHUNTER TWO-HANDED DAO SWORD
Garo People, of a form very seldom encountered, known as a Mil-Am. Wrought of a single piece of steel, the tang straight with spatulate pommel, the heavy blade obliquely angled at the forte, then straight and double-edged, with a cusped tip. The guard is composed of a steel rod passed through a punched aperture in the tang. 19th century. Patinaed overall.

23rd May 2017, 07:22 PM	#1
thomas hauschild Member Join Date: May 2017 Location: Germany Posts: 139	Dao from Naga of Assam ? Hi everybody It is my first thread as a new member so at first I like to introduce myself shortly. My name Thomas Hauschild from germany. I ´m 52 years old working as a production manager and a semiprofessional knifemaker. I forge my blades, make my own damascus and I ´m member of the german knifemakerguild. I ´ve started my collection with a first piece because of the strong wish to forge an own "parang" without the knowledge what a "parang" is or what it should looke like in that time. Luckily or not luckily ( luckily I ´ve got a good piece for my money, unluckily I became addicted to collect ;-)my first piece was real usable one. My focus for collection is not on special type or area were the pieces comes from. My focus is on well forged blades with a good balance, pieces that feels "right" in the hand. I will be here to learn, so any information will be welcome.( I will ad more information in the profile) First thread is a dao / 2-hand sword from the people of Naga from Assam / India ? I have found only minor information without having the right keyword for google. 60 cm blade till the forged guard , totaly 83 cm. Full metal, one piece. Near the edges there are some pattern lines visible. Maybe a raffinated steel/iron. One edge shows some darker areas maybe there is a steel core visible ( san mai ). This is all I know about this well forged piece. I can ´t realy imagine how many work it was to create such a piece. I hope to get some more information. ( hope to made everything right with the pics) Best thomas Attached Images

23rd May 2017, 11:05 PM	#4
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,198	Hello Thomas and welcome to the Forum! This unusual style of sword is said to come from the Garo people. Ian Heath's volume on the NE Frontier* shows a picture of the Garo's weapons and also a number of line drawings of Garo warriors carrying these swords. I have copied those figures here. The Garo are an ethnic group distinct from the Naga and have a fairly wide distribution in NE India as well as Bangladesh. Ian. * Ian Heath. Armies of the Nineteenth Century: Asia. Volume 3: India's North-Eastern Frontier. Foundry, 1999. Attached Images

25th May 2017, 08:08 PM	#6
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	Garo Dao. Salaams, thomas hauschild, I dug up a couple of indicators on this weapon which is a Twa Hander!! The Garo Dao. Regards, Ibrahiim al Balooshi. Attached Images Last edited by Ibrahiim al Balooshi; 25th May 2017 at 08:26 PM.

28th May 2017, 05:17 PM	#10
Marcus Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 420	live auction yesterday I was not familiar with this type until I read this thread a couple days ago. Yesterday I was watching a live auction and when this piece came up. I bid and won it. Their description was: NAGA HEADHUNTER TWO-HANDED DAO SWORD Garo People, of a form very seldom encountered, known as a Mil-Am. Wrought of a single piece of steel, the tang straight with spatulate pommel, the heavy blade obliquely angled at the forte, then straight and double-edged, with a cusped tip. The guard is composed of a steel rod passed through a punched aperture in the tang. 19th century. Patinaed overall. Attached Images

23rd May 2017, 07:55 PM	#2
Bob A Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 427	Welcome to the site. For further information on the Naga people, I recommend the books of Ursula Graham Bower. Hers is an interesting story, and I always enjoy having some background information on the items I collect. She has a Wikipedia link, but I'm having a problem creating a usable link. Of all the weapons I now have, the one with the best "feel" in hand is a jimpul I obtained from Oriental-Arms. Your sword is quite similar to one in my collection. I've seen a couple others in the last year or so.

23rd May 2017, 09:36 PM	#3
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,219	Wellkommen! Can't add much more but it is a nice and complete example!

25th May 2017, 10:23 AM	#5
thomas hauschild Member Join Date: May 2017 Location: Germany Posts: 139	Thanks a lot for the pictures. I was not realy sure which would be the right way to hold. This is also clear now. Best regards and thanks a lot for your help Thomas

27th May 2017, 06:31 PM	#7
ausjulius Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: musorian territory Posts: 422	hello this is not a naga weapon.. it is a garo weapon from garoland ,....similar people but not naga . they still make these.. i have seen examples on youtube videos showing a cultural display in a garo tribal area in bangladesh in 2015! weird weapon...

27th May 2017, 08:23 PM	#9
thomas hauschild Member Join Date: May 2017 Location: Germany Posts: 139	Thanks ausjulius Yes Ibrahim wrote, that it is from the garo-people. My information "naga" was with a "?" . It was named like this in an auction of a similar piece at oriental arms ( link from wiki germany ) , now I know that garo is right. Thanks and best tegards thomas