Dha (Burmese: ဓား; also spelled dah[1]) is the Burmese word for "knife" and "sword" similar term to daab or darb (Thai: ดาบ) 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, Cambodia and Vietnam.[2]
Soldiers at the Bayon temple(12th/13th century) wielding curved swords. Located at the ruins of Angkor.
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 a definitive origin.
The dha may have its origins[original research?] with the 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 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:ដាវ) 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: กระบี่) 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
Burmese Sword (Dha) with scabbard and baldric; 19th century.
Kachin man carrying a Kachin dha, circa 1900
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 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.[5]
Sub-types
Krabi-krabong practitioner with Daab song mue, Thai double swords.
David J. Atkinson's private collection - Dha Sword
Naga Sword-Daos
The Dha Research Archive
The Swords of Continental Southeast Asia
January 07, 2023
sword, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, sword, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, february, 201. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Dha sword news newspapers books scholar JSTOR February 2016 Learn how and when to remove this template message Dha Burmese ဓ also spelled dah 1 is the Burmese word for knife and sword similar term to daab or darb Thai dab 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 Cambodia and Vietnam 2 Burmese Sword Dha with scabbard 19th century Contents 1 Origins 2 Anatomy 3 Sub types 3 1 Burmese Dha 3 2 Thai Daab 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksOrigins Edit Soldiers at the Bayon temple 12th 13th century wielding curved swords Located at the ruins of Angkor 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 a definitive origin The dha may have its origins original research with the 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 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 ដ វ 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 krabi 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 Burmese Sword Dha with scabbard and baldric 19th century Kachin man carrying a Kachin dha circa 1900 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 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 5 Sub types Edit Krabi krabong practitioner with Daab song mue Thai double swords Shan dha Lanna Sword Bangkok National Museum Collection of swords at Bangkok National Museum Burmese dha ဓ The spine is straight or mostly straight Thai daab darb dab The spine curves slightly Laos daab darb ດາບ The spine curves significantly and has more detailed carving and other tooling Burmese Dha Edit Nghat kyee taung dha င က က တ င ဓ A single edge sword with a sharp point Dha hmyaung ဓ မ င A dagger Dha shay ဓ ရ ည A long curved sword Dha lwe ဓ လ A dha shay worn over the shoulder in a scabbard Dha ma ဓ မ A chopper or cleaver Dha mauk ဓ မ က A paring or utility knifeThai Daab Edit Ayutthaya shape Central Daab na luk kai dabhnalukik A blade shaped like a chicken s face Daab na bua dabhnabw A blade shaped like a lotus Daab na pla lot dabhnaplahld or Daab na tat khong dabhnatdokhng A blade similar in shape to the Daab na bua Daab hua tat dabhwtd A blade without a pointy tip Daab hua tat chiang dabhwtdechiyng A blade similar to the Daab hua tat however it has a more slanted shape Daab na hua laem dabhnahwaehlm Also known as the Lao sword this sword has a pointy tipLanna shape Northern Daab ngao dabngaw A blade with a ridged surface Daab bai khaw dabibkhaw A blade shaped like a rice leaves Daab bai kha dabibkha A blade shaped like a Daab bai khaw but more slender See also EditDao sword Dao Naga sword Hengdang Langgai Tinggang Sabre Banshay Krabi krabong Kbach kun boran Chinese sword Turko Mongol sabers Korean sword Japanese swordReferences Edit dah Oxford English Dictionary Online ed Oxford University Press Subscription or participating institution membership required The Swords of Continental Southeast Asia Goode F C 2014 No Surrender in Burma Operations Behind Japanese Lines Captivity and Torture Germany Pen amp Sword Books The Dha Research Index George Cameron Stone 1999 A Glossary of the Construction Decoration and Use of Arms and Armor in All Countries and in All Times Mineola New York Dover ISBN 0 486 40726 8 External links EditDavid J Atkinson s private collection Dha Sword Naga Sword Daos The Dha Research Archive The Swords of Continental Southeast Asia Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dha sword amp oldid 1101214533, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
