The culture of Dong Son – Vietnam has been discovered by French archaeologists for the first time in 1924 on the Ma riverside, in the commune of Dong Son, huyen of Dong Son (now quarter of Ham Rong, Thanh Hoa city). This is also the place where was discovered for the first time the collection of vestiges of the age of metals in Vietnam and in South-East Asia. So far, the domain of distribution of this culture has been determined from the northern to the southern frontier of Deo Ngang (a mountain pass of Vietnam), province of Quang Binh, with a concentration in the valléys of three big rivers: the Red River, the river Ma and the river Ca.
The culture of Dong Son – Vietnam has been discovered by French archaeologists for the first time in 1924 on the Ma riverside, in the commune of Dong Son, huyen of Dong Son (now quarter of Ham Rong, Thanh Hoa city). This is also the place where was discovered for the first time the collection of vestiges of the age of metals in Vietnam and in South-East Asia. So far, the domain of distribution of this culture has been determined from the northern to the southern frontier of Deo Ngang (a mountain pass of Vietnam), province of Quang Binh, with a concentration in the valléys of three big rivers: the Red River, the river Ma and the river Ca.
During nearly one century of exploration, the vietnamese and mundial archaeologists has proved irrefutably the local origin of the culture of Dong Son, through the results of study, of discovery, of archaeologic excavations, of conservation and exhibitions in the service of visitors.
In occasion of the 85
th anniversary of the discovery and study of the culture of Dong Son (1924-2009), of the liberation of the South 30/4 and of the World Labour Day 1/5/2009, the National Museum of Vietnemese History organizes an exhibition on an interesting theme entitled “
Echo of Dong Son – Newly discovered objects”. With more than 100 objects of copper, ceramic, stone and of various forms: working tools, domestic instruments, musical instruments, ornaments… giving to visitors new knowledges on the potential in ancient objects and on the cultural and historical values of the collection of the culture of Dong Son that the National Museum of Vietnamese History have just discovered. At the same time, through the exhibition, we would like to participate to the education and to the elevation of the people’s conscience on the protection and the conservation of cultural vestiges of our ancestors, to exalt the national pride on the ancient civilization of our people, on the cultural tradition and the dexterity of the vietnamese handicraftsmen.
We, who are responsible of the exhibition, hope that the “echo of Dong Son” will always resound in each Vietnamese as in each friend in the world on a culture of the age of bronze which has developed and flourishes.
The exhibition will open officially to receive visitors since the 06 April 2009 and will close towards the end of June 2009, at the National Museum of Vietnamese History, no 1, Trang Tien Street, Hanoi, every day of the week from 8h to 16h30.
The National Museum of Vietnamese History has the pleasure to publish this communique.
The Editors