The Vietnam National Museum of History opened an exhibition on November18 displaying one of the biggest, most intact collections of bronze DongSon drums to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the culture's discovery.
Thehistory museum collaborated with local museums in Hanoi, Lao Cai, HungYen, Thanh Hoa, Yen Bai and Nghe An to organise a special exhibitioncalled Dong Son Culture. It aims to show viewers the beauty, history andculture within the 272 artefacts on display, some of which have beenrecognised as national treasures. The show will run until April.
"DongSon culture plays an important role in the development of Vietnamesehistory," said Nguyen Van Doan, Vice Director of the Museum.
"Itproved to be a foundation for the establishment of the first kingdom inancient Vietnam. The research on Dong Son culture is necessary toprovide us more scientific information. After 90 years, it is high timescholars publicised new discoveries about this famous culture."
Dong Son, dating back to 1000 BC, was a Metal Age archaeological culture.
Itgot its name from Dong Son village on the bank of the Ma River in thecentral province of Thanh Hoa. A number of bronze drums were found bychance in 1924, marking the first evidence of the culture's existence.
Mostartefacts found since were made from iron, stone, glass, wood andbronze. Archaeologists classified the objects into categories based onhow they were used: tools, domestic wares, weapons, musical instrumentsand jewellery, among others.
The museum divided the exhibition into different sections based on the collections. One is the collection of miniatures.
Inthe Dong Son culture, the funeral ceremony was an important ritual.People buried tools, jewellery and weapons along with the dead. However,they were often broken, bent or arranged in a different manner from theliving world. The ancient people also invented miniatures – small-scaletools and weapons to be buried, which helped save materials, time andenergy.
Historian Le Van Lan said the exhibition would bringvisitors a panoramic view of the Dong Son culture through variousobjects representing the historical period.
"The exhibition justshowcases collections of the state-run museums, while private collectorsown a huge number of antiques from the period," he said.
"Iexpect that one day the State-run museums and private collectors willjoin hands to introduce a more comprehensive historical view."
Alsothe same day, after the exhibition opened, the history museum hosted aseminar on the Dong Son culture. Scholars from archaeological agencies,cultural researchers and museum staff nationwide attended the event.
Aimingto honour the people's significant historical and cultural value, theevent presented an overview of the information scientists have collectedover the past 90 years since the ancient civilisation was discovered.
"Inthe coming time, the Vietnam National Museum of History will cooperatewith local and international agencies to do research and excavations atDong Son archaeological sites to prove the influence the Dong Sonculture had on cultures in the Central Highlands and the south," saidDoan, the Museum's Vice Director.
Doan said while collecting theDong Son cultural objects, the museum will digitise related documents tomake the museum a centre for information on the Dong Son culture.-VNA
Thehistory museum collaborated with local museums in Hanoi, Lao Cai, HungYen, Thanh Hoa, Yen Bai and Nghe An to organise a special exhibitioncalled Dong Son Culture. It aims to show viewers the beauty, history andculture within the 272 artefacts on display, some of which have beenrecognised as national treasures. The show will run until April.
"DongSon culture plays an important role in the development of Vietnamesehistory," said Nguyen Van Doan, Vice Director of the Museum.
"Itproved to be a foundation for the establishment of the first kingdom inancient Vietnam. The research on Dong Son culture is necessary toprovide us more scientific information. After 90 years, it is high timescholars publicised new discoveries about this famous culture."
Dong Son, dating back to 1000 BC, was a Metal Age archaeological culture.
Itgot its name from Dong Son village on the bank of the Ma River in thecentral province of Thanh Hoa. A number of bronze drums were found bychance in 1924, marking the first evidence of the culture's existence.
Mostartefacts found since were made from iron, stone, glass, wood andbronze. Archaeologists classified the objects into categories based onhow they were used: tools, domestic wares, weapons, musical instrumentsand jewellery, among others.
The museum divided the exhibition into different sections based on the collections. One is the collection of miniatures.
Inthe Dong Son culture, the funeral ceremony was an important ritual.People buried tools, jewellery and weapons along with the dead. However,they were often broken, bent or arranged in a different manner from theliving world. The ancient people also invented miniatures – small-scaletools and weapons to be buried, which helped save materials, time andenergy.
Historian Le Van Lan said the exhibition would bringvisitors a panoramic view of the Dong Son culture through variousobjects representing the historical period.
"The exhibition justshowcases collections of the state-run museums, while private collectorsown a huge number of antiques from the period," he said.
"Iexpect that one day the State-run museums and private collectors willjoin hands to introduce a more comprehensive historical view."
Alsothe same day, after the exhibition opened, the history museum hosted aseminar on the Dong Son culture. Scholars from archaeological agencies,cultural researchers and museum staff nationwide attended the event.
Aimingto honour the people's significant historical and cultural value, theevent presented an overview of the information scientists have collectedover the past 90 years since the ancient civilisation was discovered.
"Inthe coming time, the Vietnam National Museum of History will cooperatewith local and international agencies to do research and excavations atDong Son archaeological sites to prove the influence the Dong Sonculture had on cultures in the Central Highlands and the south," saidDoan, the Museum's Vice Director.
Doan said while collecting theDong Son cultural objects, the museum will digitise related documents tomake the museum a centre for information on the Dong Son culture.-VNA
