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Originally Posted by ~Alaung_Hpaya~
Thanks Mark
I'm wondering about common origin I guess rather than actual derivation from Dao post Tang dynasty ( 618 - 907 AD ) or even Song . It certainly would be of interest to me if anyone can ( literally ) dig up swords from Nan Zhao .
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A common origin is an intesting idea. Philip has researched this area extensively, so maybe he can comment. The early bronze swords seem to have been double edged, while daggers were both curved and single-edged. One early iron sword was the single-edged ring-hilted sword (the ancestor of the nihon-to). According to Antonio's article in the History of Steel catalogue, by the Song Dynasty (960 to 1279 AD), both straight (jian) and curved (dao) swords existed. No mention as to where the dao developed, though. Unfortunately, in the catalogue collection there is a huge jump in time, from Han dynasty (260 BC - 220 AD) to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), completely skipping the Tang, for instance.
The one book on the art of Nan Zhao that I have found does not show any weapons.
