A Nice Naga Dao
 

I picked this up in trade recently. I had been looking for one with a blade of this type. The metal quality of the blade is poor. Note the forging flaw that has a created a scarf weld(intentional or unintentional???) to the top extension from the spine. There is thick iron bolster.

The haft is heavily bound with lacquered rattan and the hair largely remains intact.

Dimensions:

Overall length: 29in.
Blade length: 9.25in.
Blade's widest point: 5in.
Blade width at the forte: 1in. Thickness st the forte: 3/8 in.

This is great! I always loved this type of Naga blade!

Thanks Battara...I felt exactly the same, that is, it is a blade style I had been looking for. But I must tell you that the metal quality is awful. and you can see the forging flaws yourself. I still feel this is a relatively old one.

Hi Charles:

Very nice example of an unusual style of Naga dao. I think this is likely to be a 19th C. piece. Rawson* made the observation that the Naga were an "iron-poor" group and resorted to reusing iron from old tools and weapons. When British tea planters came along, the Naga would pilfer their iron tools (hoes and such) to supplement their iron supply. Some Naga dao still have traces of British manufacturers' marks to indicate the origin of the iron that went into making them. A single hoe could be cut lengthwise to create two dao (according to Rawson).

Reuse and repair of ironware was extensively employed, often resulting in poorer quality products. I think your example shows some of the consequences of being an "iron-poor" community.

Ian.

* Rawson P.S. The Indian Sword. Herbert Jenkins:London. 1968.

Ian,

Excellent point, and makes perfect sense as you can see here. When I first handled the blade I thought "this is pot metal!" But, it does hold an edge.

I have Rawson's book and completely forgot about his writing on Naga swords...thanks for the reference...I needed a good excuse reread that one again anyway!

Btw, you can also see the poor quality of metal work in Naga spear heads. I have one Naga spear that has a head forged from an iron and copper mix, with the copper standing out quite prominently in spots.

The "iron poor" explanation certainly explains it.

Charles,

I think the fact that the metal is such poor quality means, paradoxically, that it is pretty old.

Most of the older examples that come on the market are from the 19th C. and originally were collected by British military, administrative, and plantation personnel--not a whole lot of British tourists went to that part of India in the 19th C.

Ian.

I'm not sure I'd go there either back then - being HEADHUNTERS and all.........

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KONYAK TRIBE,REGARDS RAJESH