Burmese knife
Dha
(
Burmese
:
???
; also spelled
dah
[1]
) is the
Burmese
word for "knife" and "sword" similar term to
daab
or
darb
(
Thai
:
???
) in
Thai language
for a single edge sword. The term dha is conventionally used to refer to a wide variety of knives and swords used by many people across
Southeast Asia
, especially present-day Myanmar (
Burma
),
Thailand
,
Yunnan
,
Laos
, and
Cambodia
.
[2]
Origins
[
edit
]
A man from Siam(Thailand) carrying a sheathed sword. This is from the
boxer codex
which is from around c.1590 A.D.
A man from Kampuchea(Cambodia) wielding a curved sword. This is from the
boxer codex
which is from around c.1590 A.D.
The broad use and diffusion of the dha across Southeast Asia makes it difficult to attribute the definitive origin.
The dha may have its origins
[
original research?
]
with the Burmese people and
Tai people
who migrated to the area from present-day
Yunnan Province
in southern China.
[
citation needed
]
The
Khmer
and
Mon peoples
were well established before the arrival of the Tai or the Burmese people; perhaps they invented the dha as 13th-century reliefs at
Angkor
depict the weapon.
[
citation needed
]
The history of the region includes many periods where one or the other of these groups dominated, bringing along their culture and weapons to conquered areas.
[
citation needed
]
Similar terms exist in the surrounding area with slightly different meanings. The
Chinese
word
dao
(
dou
in
Cantonese
) means knife but can refer to any bladed weapon with only one edge. From the
Himalayas
, the dao spread to
Southeast Asia
where it came into its present shape. While it is pronounced dha in
Burmese
, among
Khmer
-speakers it is known as
dav
(Khmer:???) and it may be related to the
Malay
words
pedang
and
sundang
, meaning sword. A related term,
dap
, means a long-handled sword in
Malay
. In Thailand, the dha corresponds to the
krabi
(
Thai
:
??????
) but the equivalent
Thai
term is
daab
which is usually a single-edge sword.
[
citation needed
]
The Kachin dha used by the
Kachin people
has a long blade which is around 18 inches.
[3]
Anatomy
[
edit
]
Dha vary considerably according to locality but they share a few features that define them apart from other weapons and tools of the area. These features are a round cross-section grip, a long, gently curving blade (sometimes upward, other times downward in the direction of use) with a single edge, and no guard. Knives and swords with these characteristics are viewed by ethnic groups of the region as being of a single type, albeit with variations arising from local style and tradition.
[4]
There are a large number of possible shapes for the tip, with upswept, downswept, squared-off and spear-like varieties all being found. The blades are often inscribed, which can range from a simple maker's mark to quite intricate designs that may also feature
inlays
.
Hilts range from hand-width to quite long. A blade/hilt length ratio of 2:1 is not uncommon. Despite these long handles, most dha are meant for single-handed use, although some two-handed weapons exist. Guards are small, if present at all. Thai daab
[5]
may have a guard similar to that of the Japanese
katana
. The montagnard dha may have a guard that barely exceeds the diameter of the handle and they can be regarded more as a spacer. The construction of the hilt varies widely by type and region or origin. Hilts range from simple wood, possibly wrapped in
rattan
or covered in ray skin, to elaborately worked
silver
and
ivory
. Pommels may or may not be present. Scabbards are made from two strips of wood, often bamboo, secured by metal bands, rattan (e.g., "village" dha), or completely wrapped in metal.
[6]
Sub-types
[
edit
]
- Burmese
dha (???);
: The spine is straight (or mostly straight).
- Thai
daab
/
darb (???)
: The spine curves slightly.
- Laos
daab
/
darb (???)
: The spine curves significantly, and has more detailed carving and other tooling.
Burmese Dha
[
edit
]
- Nghat kyee taung dha (????????????????): A single edge sword with a sharp point
- Dha-hmyaung (??????????): A dagger
- Dha-shay (???????): A long curved sword
- Dha-lwe (??????): A dha-shay worn over the shoulder in a scabbard
- Dha-ma (????): A chopper or cleaver
- Dha-mauk (????????): A paring or utility knife
Thai Daab
[
edit
]
Ayutthaya shape (Central)
- Daab na luk kai (?????????????): A blade shaped like a chicken's face.
- Daab na bua (??????????): A blade shaped like a lotus.
- Daab na pla lot (?????????????) or Daab na tat khong (??????????????): A blade similar in shape to the Daab na bua.
- Daab hua tat (?????????): A blade without a pointy tip.
- Daab hua tat chiang (??????????????): A blade similar to the Daab hua tat, however, it has a more slanted shape.
- Daab na hua laem (??????????????): Also known as the Lao sword, this sword has a pointy tip
Lanna shape (Northern)
- Daab ngao (???????): A blade with a ridged surface.
- Daab bai khaw (?????????): A blade shaped like a rice leaves.
- Daab bai kha (???????): A blade shaped like a Daab bai khaw but more slender.
See also
[
edit
]
- Dao (Chinese sword)
? Single-edged Chinese sword primarily used for slashing and chopping
- Dao (Naga sword)
? Type of sword from northeastern India
- Hengdang
? Single edged sword with long handle from India
- Langgai Tinggang
? Borneo type of machete
Pages displaying wikidata descriptions as a fallback
- Sabre
? Type of backsword with curved blade, designed to cut and slash.
- Banshay
? Weapon-based martial art
Pages displaying wikidata descriptions as a fallback
- Krabi?krabong
? Weapon-based martial art from Thailand
- Kbach kun boran
? Cambodian martial art
Pages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets
- Chinese sword
? History of the weapon in China
- Turko-Mongol sabers
? Type of cavalry sabre
Pages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets
- Korean sword
? Swords produced in Korea
- Japanese sword
? Type of traditionally made sword from Japan
References
[
edit
]
External links
[
edit
]
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