Burmese Dha & Javanese Badik

Mark · 30th May 2006, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aurangzeb

Do I have the age of the Burmese Dha right? How whould it be worn?

Yes, I would say you probably do. It is so hard to tell between a well-worn recent knife and a well-preserved old knife, but IMO the obviously hand-forged blade, coupled with the fine quality of the fittings (by which I mean it is neither something someone pounded out in a mountain village, nor a modern mass- or semi-mass-produced blade), point to that age more or less.

I haven't studied the dagger-length dha (dha-hmyaung) as much as the swords, but the style seems very universal in the entire region. From what I have seen recently, though, the Burman ones do not have guards, while the Thai ones tend to.

As for how it would have been worn -- no idea. In the north the Shan/Tai Yuan wear their dha-hmyaung suspended from their belt by a cord, a minature version of the baldric used for swords. However, I have never seen a cord hanger in this, more southern, style, which makes me suspect that it would be worn in a manner more like that of a keris or badik - tucked directly into the sash. I am, of course, open to correction.

Aurangzeb · 2nd June 2006, 03:12 AM

Thanks! So this is a Burmese dha-hmyaung from the late 19th century.

Mark...

PUFF · 2nd June 2006, 06:32 AM

In Thailand, such a knife are mostly used in the same way as an amulet (protect one from evil) or as a ceremonial knife. They are supposed to be blessed by a medic (shaman or monk). Mark called this one as priest knives. In Thai, they are called Meed Morh (literally means medic 's knives).

(Note: this pic is upside-down, so all the knives have downward hilt)

http://images.google.co.th/images?q=...r=&sa=N&tab=wi

Beside the Meed Morh, there are other utility knives/weapons with similar downward hilt.

Meed Eneb or Meed Hneb, utility knives. They have noticable big belly, design for chopping action.

Meed PraDae (Thai for Badik), a personal utility knife/weapon. Were used 3-400 years ago. There are many example from late Ayuthaya period but it 's possible that the knives were used in the older time.

Meed ChaiThong, literally means flag-tip knives. Nothing related with flag but its shape. The extend of base might be kind of evolved keris 's Ganja.

2nd June 2006, 03:12 AM	#2
Aurangzeb Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 306	Thanks! So this is a Burmese dha-hmyaung from the late 19th century. Mark...

2nd June 2006, 06:32 AM	#3
PUFF Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 30 miles north of Bangkok, 20 miles south of Ayuthaya, Thailand Posts: 224	In Thailand, such a knife are mostly used in the same way as an amulet (protect one from evil) or as a ceremonial knife. They are supposed to be blessed by a medic (shaman or monk). Mark called this one as priest knives. In Thai, they are called Meed Morh (literally means medic 's knives). (Note: this pic is upside-down, so all the knives have downward hilt) http://images.google.co.th/images?q=...r=&sa=N&tab=wi Beside the Meed Morh, there are other utility knives/weapons with similar downward hilt. Meed Eneb or Meed Hneb, utility knives. They have noticable big belly, design for chopping action. Meed PraDae (Thai for Badik), a personal utility knife/weapon. Were used 3-400 years ago. There are many example from late Ayuthaya period but it 's possible that the knives were used in the older time. Meed ChaiThong, literally means flag-tip knives. Nothing related with flag but its shape. The extend of base might be kind of evolved keris 's Ganja.