Rare Dayak Daggers - Sadop and Dohong

asomotif · 16th February 2007, 02:16 PM

A friend has this spear in his collection (well actually in a corner of his cellar, but he is sadly not considering to let it go

)

take a look at the dohong in Zonneveld's, the decoration at the base, the way the sides are sharpened only from one side of the blade.
This blade seems very much a spearhead to me, but the dohong in Zonneveld is now a puzzle to me. is it a dagger or a spearhead hilted as a dagger

VVV · 17th February 2007, 05:14 PM

Hi Willem,

I also believe that some of the Dohong are remounted spearheads.
And then there seems to be another version which is more like a sword blade
(maybe ancestor of the Bayu?).
Probably Dohong is several, actually different, versions of old (pre 20th C) double-edged Dayak blades grouped together as one classification?

Michael

Dajak · 17th February 2007, 08:57 PM

Hi Michael and Willem this is not an Dohun Michael you see also an very big
spearhead in Kopenhagen the Dayaks have very big spear heads but don t make them dohun s

Ben

VVV · 17th February 2007, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dajak

Hi Michael and Willem this is not an Dohun Michael you see also an very big
spearhead in Kopenhagen the Dayaks have very big spear heads but don t make them dohun s

Ben

Hi Ben,

No I don't think that Willem's example is a Dohong.
But I suspect that some of the Dohongs were made of old spear heads.
Like f.i. the version below that are both found as spear heads and mounted as a Dohong.
Or maybe it's the Dohong blades that are mounted as spears as well?

Michael

Albert · 18th February 2007, 05:27 PM

Hello Michael,

Interesting photo!
From which publication is it?

Albert

Dajak · 18th February 2007, 09:25 PM

Hi Michael I think you are right when you say that dohuns are made from spearheads .

They where only used at funurals as ceremonium knife s
never as weapons and we see a lot off spearheads in the Indonesian archipalo mounted as knife s .

Ben

VVV · 18th February 2007, 09:59 PM

Albert,

It's just one of the pictures I found on the Internet. I saved it because it's the only picture I have seen with that kind of early 19th C spearhead otherwise only seen on old drawings.
Please join the discussion and let us know your view on the Dohong?

Ben,

Please note that I don't think all(!) Dohong were made from spearheads.
I suspect that there are several variations where some are remounted spearheads. I don't think that f.i. the larger and more swordlike version, that usually has big ivory handles, originally were spearheads.

Michael

16th February 2007, 02:16 PM	#1
asomotif Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 2,237	BORNEO SPEAR RESEMBLING A DOHONG A friend has this spear in his collection (well actually in a corner of his cellar, but he is sadly not considering to let it go ) take a look at the dohong in Zonneveld's, the decoration at the base, the way the sides are sharpened only from one side of the blade. This blade seems very much a spearhead to me, but the dohong in Zonneveld is now a puzzle to me. is it a dagger or a spearhead hilted as a dagger Attached Images

17th February 2007, 05:14 PM	#2
VVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 1,637	Hi Willem, I also believe that some of the Dohong are remounted spearheads. And then there seems to be another version which is more like a sword blade (maybe ancestor of the Bayu?). Probably Dohong is several, actually different, versions of old (pre 20th C) double-edged Dayak blades grouped together as one classification? Michael

17th February 2007, 08:57 PM	#3
Dajak Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 951	Hi Michael and Willem this is not an Dohun Michael you see also an very big spearhead in Kopenhagen the Dayaks have very big spear heads but don t make them dohun s Ben

18th February 2007, 05:27 PM	#5
Albert Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 205	Hello Michael, Interesting photo! From which publication is it? Albert

18th February 2007, 09:25 PM	#6
Dajak Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 951	Hi Michael I think you are right when you say that dohuns are made from spearheads . They where only used at funurals as ceremonium knife s never as weapons and we see a lot off spearheads in the Indonesian archipalo mounted as knife s . Ben

18th February 2007, 09:59 PM	#7
VVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 1,637	Albert, It's just one of the pictures I found on the Internet. I saved it because it's the only picture I have seen with that kind of early 19th C spearhead otherwise only seen on old drawings. Please join the discussion and let us know your view on the Dohong? Ben, Please note that I don't think all(!) Dohong were made from spearheads. I suspect that there are several variations where some are remounted spearheads. I don't think that f.i. the larger and more swordlike version, that usually has big ivory handles, originally were spearheads. Michael