A very interesting question. One thought I had was that it could be an historical accident, a consequence of the evolution of the dha from a mixed utility tool to a pure weapon. As some have pointed out, a guard might get in the way on a blade that is primarily a tool (like a machete). The dha is not alone in being a sword evolved from a mixed-use tool, and lacking a guard (some parangs come to mind).
No one has mentioned the other protective function of a guard - to keep your hand from slipping down the blade in a thrust. In that context, the lack of a guard is not so surprising because a dha is/was used almost exclusively as a slashing weapon, like a shashka (which also lacks a real guard).
|