View Single Post
Old 18th September 2018, 03:53 AM   #5
Ian
Vikingsword Staff
 
Ian's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: The Aussie Bush
Posts: 4,008
Default

Hi Rob,

I seriously doubt that these were intended for military use. If we look at WWII-era dha, they were fairly plain with plaited rattan strips holding the scabbards together, and similar strips on their plain wooden hilts. Dha, as legitimate fighting weapons, were largely replaced by guns by the mid- to late-19th C. The dha continued mainly as a large, general purpose, "bush knife."

Everything about the pair you show suggests 20th C manufacture, which is well after the dha was used as a primary weapon. The materials suggest relatively inexpensive swords that are fully functional, but may have been reduced to ceremonial/display functions at the time they were made.

Ian.

Quote:
Originally Posted by RobT
Hi Ian,

Thanks for your response. Is there any possibility that the swords were military issue?

Sincerely,
RobT
Ian is offline   Reply With Quote