Scientific analysis of two Southeast Asian swords
Using X-ray fluorescence and radiocarbon dating.
SE Asian dha (carbon 14 dated)
In excavated condition. With XRF and radiocarbon dating results.
An old dha (carbon 14 dated)
Found in excavated condition, published with results of c-14 and XRF analysis.
The Wiasemsky Montagnard dha
Collected by a Russian prince from the hill peoples of central Vietnam in 1892.
An excavated dha sword
With heavy blade and copper alloy hilt and lobed guard.
Samrit (សំរិត)
Khmer word for an auspicious copper alloy.
Wood hilted dahmjaun
With iron ferrule and copper and silver overlaid blade.
Good Vietnamese dagger
An unusually ornate version of what is normally a very simple weapon.
Vietnamese knife
A simple early 20th-century fighting dagger with ribbed grip.
Wakizashi in Burmese hilt
An unusual cross-cultural mix, blending Burmese, Japanese and Indian parts.
French sword for the King of Siam
With a Parisian blade carrying the royal emblem of King Rama IV.
A rare Burmese spear
A fine example with silver overlaid spearhead and silver ferrule with niello inlay.
Hkamti dha (ခန္တီး ဓား)
Burmese trade name of the lin gin, a machete-like sword.
Dàap (ดาบ)
Thai word for a single-edged sword.
Brass mounted Thai dáap
A charming and somewhat unusual example of a Thai dáap (ดาบ).
Plain mounted Mindan dha
Plain when sheathed, unsheathing reveals a rather nice silver overlaid blade.
Early silver Burmese dha
With elaborate silver overlaid blade and inlaid iron hilt.
Burmese silver overlaid dha
On a sturdy, user-grade blade with temper line.
Hlan (လှံ)
Burmese for spear, lance, or javelin.
Dalwe (ဓားလွယ်)
Burmese type of sword, worn in scabbard slung from the shoulder.
Lin gin (လင်းကင်း)
Burmese for a machete-like that was used widely in Kachin state and Assam.
Shan da (ရှမ်းဓား)
Burmese word for the Shan sword with pointed blade.
Dahmjaun (ဓားမြှောင်)
Burmese word for their dagger.
A Burmese da glossary
A glossary of the terminology of the Burmese dha and related items.
Mindan, Yamethin
A production center for ornate silver overlaid scissors, dha and other implements.
Mindan dha
Name for fine dha with fine overlaid blades. Named after Mindan village where they were made.
Tribal Kachin dha
A typical example with a nice forge folded blade with differential heat treatment.
Vietnamese crook handled cane
With a finely crafted silver handle with dragons and squirrels, mounted on a malacca cane.
A Vietnamese Christian cross
Constructed out of dense hardwood and with fine mother-of-pearl inlays in the Vietnamese fashion.
A Vietnamese matchlock musket
Called Súng hỏa mai in Vietnamese, with baitong lock.
Heavy Sino-Vietnamese dagger
With a very thick and heavy blade and nicely worked brass mounts.
Belu
A mythical Burmese, shape-shifting creature.
Ceremonial yem nguyệt đao
Modeled after the Chinese "guan dao", made of lacquered wood.
Yem nguyệt đao (偃月刀)
Vietnamese version of the Chinese yǎnyuèdāo (偃月刀)
Fine Chinese Shan dha
Entirely clad in silver and with a differentially heat treated blade.
Chu-pan
A type of Burmese floral scrolling.
A Mindan / Yamethin dha
With fine overlaid blade this area was known for.
Large Shan dha
With silver-clad scabbard executed in their typical style.
Mindan dha with agate pommel
Its blade portraying the story of one of the previous lives of Guatama Buddha.
Burmese dha dated 1928
A nice example that can serve as a benchmark to help date others.
Sino-Vietnamese fighting knife
A Chinese style fighting knife probably made in Yunnan or Vietnam.
Dha shay
A name for the long Burmese dha.
Linkin dha
Colonial British name A type of dha used by various tribes in northern Burma.
Mahagiri Nat
A powerful spirit in Burmese folklore. Patron of blacksmiths.
Maung Tin De
Burmese "Nat", a spirit. Patron saint of blacksmiths.
Trường đao (長刀)
A large Vietnamese type of falchion sword.
Maung Pyo
A Burmese knife and sword maker known for his fine silver overlay.
Saya Pyo
Alternative name for Maung Pyo. A Burmese craftsman known for his fine silver overlay.
Dha-lwé
Burmese for a type of sword worn slung over the shoulder.