Burmese dha use question

[Ian]

Jeff,

I think Rick is correct, in that the fuller is passing through a sharpened area at the end of the bklade, and this likely indicates a reshaped tip. Fullers do run through the end of some dha blades, but these usually have a blunt, squared-off end or a concave end (as shown in the attachment). Such blunt- or cancave-ended dha were especially used by the Kachin, and usually had a three-part hilt such as the one shown in your original post. While fullered blades were made by the Burmese, they were also made by the Achang people of Husa in Yunnan (who made excellent blades BTW). The blade in the OP may have started out as a Husa dha.

As for their use, the dha as a fighting weapon lost prominence in the second half of the 19th C when firearms became more prevalent. By the early 20th C, plain dha were still being used for working purposes (as "jungle knives") but otherwise higher quality examples were largely ceremonial in function, being worn as a sign of status, at weddings, on national holidays, festivals and other cultural events.

Ian

P.S. On the subject of the Dha Index, this is now very old information and contains quite a few inaccuracies. Just a word of caution in its use. Even though some of my dha are shown there, the descriptions previously attributed to them may no longer be accurate.
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[kronckew]

They also came in pointy.

Like mine below:

(see also the other point types chart)

[kronckew]

Just for interest - an earlier form, the Ayutthayan (Thai) Daab/Dha. The city was destroyed by the Burmese in 1787, so these types were earlier, from a time when they were actually used in battle. Unusual 'yelman' at the point. I have one like it. Very well-balanced and an excellent sturdy weapon. These are in a museum in Thailand.

The Dha's long grip is to balance the blade, they are a one handed weapon, tho a two handed coup-de-grace was occasionally used.

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by kronckew

Just for interest - an earlier form, the Ayutthayan (Thai) Daab/Dha. The city was destroyed by the Burmese in 1787, so these types were earlier, from a time when they were actually used in battle. Unusual 'yelman' at the point. I have one like it. Very well-balanced and an excellent sturdy weapon. These are in a museum in Thailand.

The Dha's long grip is to balance the blade, they are a one handed weapon, tho a two handed coup-de-grace was occasionally used.

Kronckew mentions Ayutthaya. Here are a couple of pic of how the city looks today.
Stu

[kronckew]

It's what the newspaper real estate classifieds call 'a nice little fixer-upper'.

[JeffS]

Thank you for clearing up the use question for me, it has been nagging me for awhile! Also interesting about the Husa. They are selling impressive looking watered steel blades with distinct hamon on Ebay, so apparently the tradition is going strong. If reworked, the tip on the dha is very cleanly executed and nicely radiused.

[Peter Dekker]

I agree that it is probably reshaped.

The Chinese Shan/Dai minority also made them with this profile from the get-go, but the rest of the dha is not typical Chinese Shan/Dai work. Such swords usually don't have a groove, for example, and their tips are thinner in thickness. But who knows, maybe someone from that minority purchased and altered the tip to their taste.

For comparison, here is an otherwise quite similar piece I had with a date on it. This was probably the original shape of yours, looking at the groove. I think yours is probably roughly from the same period.
https://mandarinmansion.com/item/burmese-dha-dated-1928

For reference I add a photo of a more typical Chinese Shan/Dai piece. Characteristic for this culture, spread over Burma and Yunnan, are the large garlic shaped pommel, the style of the silverwork, and the blade profile.

Peter