Tan Long drum (Heger II type) , bronze, 2nd-3rd centuries AD., discovered in Hoa Binh province.
Tan Long drum (Heger II type) , bronze, 2nd-3rd centuries AD., discovered in Hoa Binh province.
Bronze drums are distinctive artefacts of the ancient Viet people which have been preserved and developed along the history, especially Heger II type drums (also called Muong drums), including this Tan Long bronze drum. The drum has a surface, a wall and a body. The surface protrudes over the edge of the drum’s wall and decorated with asun in relief in the middle surrounded by geometric patterns,tangential circles bands and toad statues.The drum’s wall, body and base are divided into three parts by two lines in relief but the total look of the drum gives an impression of two clear parts. Decorative patterns on the Tan Longare stylized but they still reflect a strong perpetuation of decorative style on the Dong Son drums. This type of drum was popular among the Muong people. Until recently, the Muong people (in Hoa Binh and Phu Tho provinces) still use this drum in their spring festivals. Thus, the casting and using of this drum reflect the preservation of cultural tradition. In addition, Chinese-styled decorative patterns including bodhi-leaves (stylized lotus petals), phoenix images and so on indicate in part that the exchange and acceptance of cultural elements from outside of the Viet people took place in the first centuries AD.