Dear forum members,

I find the categorization scheme developed by Hartmut Mollat very helpful in identifying various types of Burmese Animal-Shaped Weights, as well as providing much food for thought in relation to their history. However, despite Mr. Mollat’s very impressive work, I often find myself challenged in distinguishing between some types of weights. Certain types of hintha weights are, for me, particularly difficult to confidently identify within Mr. Mollat’s typology.

An example of one such weight is shown in the attached photos, which weighs 155 grams.

My initial, fairly intuitive impression was that this bird weight was probably a more recent vintage hintha. However, upon reviewing Mr. Mollat’s A Model Chronology of the Animal Weights of Burma (Myanmar), it did not appear to be a perfect fit for any of his hintha types.

In overall appearance, it looks to me more like an H4. However, this weight has very distinct frieze of notches, or ‘verticals’, around the top of the base, which the Model Chronology indicates are not present in H4 weights. In other respects, though, it appears to me to fit best into the H4 category.

Alternatively, perhaps it is not a ‘genuine’ weight at all, but rather a more recent reproduction with characteristics of different hintha sub-groups.

I would be grateful for guidance and opinions from more knowledgeable forum members, and particularly Mr. Mollat, about whether this weight is genuine, and if so, how it should be classified.

Hi Peter,

thanks for your interesting question. Your Hintha belongs to the H4A-group. I have got pieces with an frieze of notches only in recent time. Therefore in our paper in Arts of Asia I wrote about the Shan forms: The frieze of notches is rarely found (p. 119). In general, H4A is a group which shows some variations. You will find a single or double tuft, 6star marks or the bird, the end of the tail acute or round, all this with identical body characteristics. There are some other variations apart from H4A-D, but they are rare. And not all of them are genuine!
I am thinking about creating subgroups. The main question is: just variation or different form??

Your piece is nicely made. I cannot decide if genuine or not. Uncommon is the second verification mark on the left side of the base. The frieze of notches follows a design of ca. 1800 (C2B; H3A1), but I saw it once on a "Variation".

Cheers!
HartmutMollat