Burmese Priest Knife?
 

Greetings to all,
My most recent purchase is this long knife/short sword. The seller bought it at auction, the catalogue description was "Priest's knife". I used this Site's search function and found other examples of such, so I think that it probably is a Priest knife. I shall appreciate the advice of those more expert than I.

What puzzles me a little is that, prior to meeting and marrying me, lucky girl, my wife lived and worked in Thailand for about 5 years, and she says that she saw hundreds of Bhuddist monks but none were obviously carrying such (or any) weapons. So, the question arises, do priests carry weapons? If not, then why are these weapons called Priest's knives?
regards to all,
Brian

A nice, gorgeous, dha dagger, but I would not necessarily attribute it to a priest.

I NEVER SAW A MONK ON THE STREET IN THAILAND WITH A KNIFE AND IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PRIESTS DON'T GO FORTH TO COLLECT FOOD OFFERINGS AS THE MONKS DO. I ASSUME THESE KNIVES ARE OWNED BY PRIESTS AND USED IN THE TEMPLE FOR CEREMONIES ECT. AND NOT COMMONLY CARRIED. PERHAPS SOMEONE WITH MORE ACCURATE INFORMATION CAN CLEAR THIS UP AS I AM JUST MAKEING A LOGICAL GUESS BASED ON VERY LITTLE INFORMATION. NICE KNIFE :D

Hi Brian, Not a "Priest knife" IMHO but a Dha dagger as stated above. Look here http://dharesearch.bowditch.us/ and go to the task bar at the bottom. I think you will find there all you need to know.
As for the Monks carrying knives....I understand that these were more a religious talisman/amulet and as such can be bought today in the Thai markets. What you have there is NOT a Priest knife.
Is the hilt ivory?
Stu

Guys, thanks for the input. I have looked up some previous threads mentioning Priests knives, and confirm the definition of meed maw as " meed maw: (Thai) blessed or talismanic knife, carried as a protective talisman ("priest knife")." so, maybe a priest knife is not one that is carried by a priest, but rather one that has been blessed by priest.

Perhaps a priest may use one at the dinner table to cut up his roast beef?

Stu, I think that the carved handle is ivory. To my inexpert eye it appears to have some age.
regards to all
Brian

I have to agree with those that said this is a dha-hmyaung, not a priest knife. And it seems to be a nice one I am including some pictures from a Thai reference I have on priest knives for comparison

A couple more pages. I actually have a couple of priest knives somewhere if I can find the box they are in I will post them also

I would consider this one a priest knife

Yes

Hi Brian,

Your knife appears to be very much Thai in origins. It is of a quality reserved for an individual of some social standing not a priest. The some what similar Burmese looking sheath silver fittings and sheath base are Thai as is the hilt.

Dr David,

Your knife is Burmese but not a priests knife, it is a higher grade working/fighting type knife.

The images RhysMichael shows are good indications of the Thai Priests knives, knives that are not weapons in any sense but votive/protective charms. So to answer your question Brian, the knives Priests carry, when carried, are not weapons but ritual items.

Gavin

Dr. David & Illiad, neither of your knifes you have pictured is not a priest knife because it does not have any evident yantra script blessings or symbols....granted in addition to the symbols you do see with priest knifes also sometimes have things you don't see like auscious/special things added in the making of the knife. I think this are more Burmese presentation/ dress knifes with a good blades. Illiad, yours should be I believe Shan (Tai Yai).

Meed Mor is not the correct term. In Thai, Meed = knife Mor = doctor. Meed Phra = knife monk (or priest)

There's a ton of those "amulet" knives on ebay. Often they claim to be made from magical metals such as iron nails from a cremated casket or roofing nails from a monastery. Others, however, are made from "numpee" iron ore. Does anybody know anything about this metal? It sounds like a locally mined high carbon iron. This is how the auctions describe it:

he scientific qualifications.*
Numpee iron ore *from the pit area of ​​the water.*The iron ore that has a molecular structure that consists of carbon.*When the fire and beat it with a knife, a strong durable than those made of iron ore over the next
Department of Metallurgical Engineering.*Faculty of Science* Universityin Thailand.* *Has been used for ore from the pits and wells sword Khan to perform experiments to analyze the properties of various scientific instruments.*I have found that iron ore, water, minerals and rare elements.*Iron ore is a unique feature.*There is stiff and sticky.*Feature is the hard part.*Iron Ore and confirmed that water district area.*Thong Saen Khan.*Uttaradit.The best quality iron ore in Thailand.*It is also an excellent grade of steel