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					Originally Posted by Andrew
					
				 The spine markings are identical to those found on many Montagnard dha, and the blade engravings (if not the inlay--those are quite unusual in my experience) similar to this dha of Mark's:Northern Thai seems more and more likely for that one.
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  Yes, very similar markings and probably dating from about the same time. Mark's sword seems at least a hundred years old, perhaps second half of the 19th C. or earlier, and I would not be surprised if this chopper was made then.
  
 
	Quote:
	
	
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					Originally Posted by Andrew
					
				  Montagnard dha spine markings:Similar spine markings seem to appear on weapons from a wide geographic area, from China to the north right down through most of SEA.
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  Tom H. made a similar point with respect to the blade style, and the markings could be more widely distributed than simply northern Thailand and neighboring states. Perhaps the ill-defined term "hill tribe" might apply to the patterns.
  
  Ian.