Montagnard Dha

The ‘Dha‘ or ‘Dhaab‘ originates from South East Asia and was widely adopted in Yunnan, Birma, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. They vary in blade shape and decoration of the hilts. Some are made of silver, some of brass, but also ivory, iron and wooden hilts are presented. The blades can vary in shape, but are all curved and single edged. In some regions, like Mindan, the blades are decorated with complex silver and copper overlay designs depicting hunting scenes or myths. Most hilts are cast in one or two pieces featuring a semi-conical pommel with a ribbed mid section and a central piece made of wood or casted brass to provide grip.

This example:
‘Dha’ from the Vietnamese Montagnard and Laos border region are generally distinctively curved and have cast brass hilts decorated with lotus petals and interlooping concentric designs. The hilt shows three fine casted brass segments with outstanding detail in crisp condition. The curved blade has a single cutting edge and slightly rounded spine. The guard shows a series of lotus petals finished with a raised edge. The general word for this type of material is called ‘Samrit’ and derives from Khmer origin, it means ‘purified’ and proved to be a non-tarnish copper alloy that brings luck according to their belief.