2,000-year-old bronze drums on display at Hanoi Museum

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Ngo Minh 05:37, 2024/04/21

Visitors to the exhibition seem to hear 'echoes' of the Dong Son culture of thousands of years ago through the 100 documents and artefacts on display.

A thematic exhibition entitled Echoes has opened at the Hanoi Museum, featuring nearly 100 artefacts, images and documents of Vietnam from the dynasty of the Hung Kings, which belonged to the Dong Son culture some 2,000 years ago.

The event was held to mark the Day of the Hung Kings - the legendary founders of the nation - and the 100th anniversary of the study of Dong Son culture in Vietnam. The event showcased artefacts recognized as national treasures, including Co Loa bronze drums.
The exhibition aimed to pay tribute to the ancestors of the Vietnamese people and the scientists who discovered Dong Son, the most brilliant culture in the nation's history, 100 years ago. In particular, bronze casting techniques were found to have reached perfection during this period, with bronze drums fully embodying the scientific knowledge of the time as well as the talent and soul of the Vietnamese people.

The exhibition displays nearly 100 artifacts related to the Dong Son culture. Photo: Ngo Minh/The Hanoi Times

The exhibition presents a collection of unique bronze drums kept at the Hanoi Museum, which has deciphered the bronze drum casting technique and the ancestral custom of worshipping the bronze drum god - the Dong Co God in Hanoi - thousands of years ago.

The Co Loa Bronze Drum - a national treasure - was displayed as the highlight of the exhibition, telling the public historical stories related to the artifact.

A drum made of bronze, carved with frogs as a decorative element. Photo: Ngo Minh/The Hanoi Times

According to Nguyen Tien Da, Director of the Hanoi Museum, the Dong Son culture dates from the 7th century BC to the 1st-2nd century AD.

Hundreds of relics have been discovered and studied, providing vivid evidence of a long-term and continuous development from pre-Dong Son cultures (Phung Nguyen-Dong Dau-Go Mun) to the pinnacle of the Dong Son culture and the Dai Viet civilization.

In particular, bronze casting techniques reached a level of perfection during this period, of which bronze drums were the most typical evidence, fully converging the scientific knowledge of the era as well as the talent and soul of the Vietnamese people.