Four ancient Dong Son bronze drums were accidentally unearthed by locals in Tuyen Quang province.

Dong Son bronze drums (large musical instruments) have been found in considerable numbers in the northern mountainous regions of Vietnam. In Tuyen Quang province , four Dong Son bronze drums have been discovered in Nhan Ly commune (Chiem Hoa district), Thien Ke commune (Son Duong district), and Xuan Van commune (Yen Son district).

The Nhân Lý bronze drum: Found in the Cham wharf area (Gâm River), Nhân Lý commune, Chiêm Hóa district, hence also known as the Chiêm Hóa drum.

In April 1989, the drum was discovered beneath a layer of pebbles, at a depth of about 4 meters below the river surface. The drum was relatively intact, although the body and base were partially broken. Based on the remaining parts, it can be inferred that the drum's shape was quite symmetrical, and its decorative patterns were delicate and clear.

The drumhead has a diameter of 51.5 cm and a remaining height of 31.2 cm. In the center of the drumhead is a star with 11 pointed points. Between the star's points are decorative patterns of stylized peacock feathers. From the inside out, there are 11 rings of patterns. Rings 1, 4, 8, and 11 consist of parallel vertical lines. Rings 2, 3, 9, and 10 feature double concentric circles with dots in the center and tangents. Ring 5 consists of 16 interlocking diamond-shaped panels.

Round 6 consists of 42 patterns created using a printing technique of short, parallel lines with dotted circles in the center, representing stylized human figures in disguise, following a trend of shapeshifting.

Circle 7 features four evenly spaced birds, each with a long beak, eyes in the form of a double circle pattern with tangents, a long tail with a rounded end, and wings marked by short dashed lines.

The birds fly in a clockwise direction. Between the four birds are four brooch-shaped motifs and eight interlocking diamond-shaped patterns. The edge of the drum features four toad-shaped figures rotating counterclockwise (all four are broken, with only their legs remaining).

The bronze drum, found in Nhan Ly commune, Chiem Hoa district (Tuyen Quang province), along with other artifacts, is on display at the Tuyen Quang Provincial Museum.

The drum body is decorated with four bands of patterns. From top to bottom, bands 1 and 4 are parallel vertical lines, while bands 2 and 3 are concentric circles tangent to each other, with a dot in the center.

The drum has two pairs of double handles decorated with rice stalk patterns.

The drum body is cylindrical, 11.0 cm high. The upper part features bands of geometric patterns running lengthwise along the drum body. Each band consists of two bands of patterns: concentric circles with dots in the center and tangents in the middle, flanked by two bands of short, parallel brick patterns.

These decorative bands divide the upper part of the drum body into rectangular sections. None of these sections are decorated with patterns.

The lower part of the drum body has four decorative bands identical to those on the drum rim. From top to bottom, bands 1 and 4 are parallel vertical lines, while bands 2 and 3 are concentric circles with dots in the center and tangents. The drum base is flared, decorated with patterns, 10cm high, and has a base diameter of 46cm.

The drum's base is decorated with patterns. Above is a raised line, followed by a band of patterns consisting of two concentric circles with dots in the center and tangents. Below the base is a band of stylized peacock feather patterns.

A portion of the drum body and base is broken, leaving the remaining drum which weighs 10.05 kg. The drum is uniformly thin, with a drumhead thickness of 3.5 mm, a drum body thickness of 2.5 mm, and a base thickness of 3 mm. The drum is covered with a dark moss-green patina.

Based on its shape and decorative patterns, this is a Dong Son drum. Currently, the drum is stored in the preservation facility of the Tuyen Quang Provincial Museum.

According to local people, when it was discovered, the interior was empty and there was nothing buried with it around it.

Surveys of the adjacent riverbank also failed to find any cultural layers or pottery traces. Therefore, it can be inferred that the Chiem Hoa drum was not originally in the location where it was found, but may have drifted away due to riverbank erosion and been buried at the bottom of the river. In any case, the drum's original burial location was not too far from where it was discovered and must certainly have been upstream.

After studying this drum, the following initial observations have been made:

- In terms of casting technique, the Chiêm Hóa drum is not a product of the same sophisticated casting techniques as the Ngọc Lũ and Sông Đà drums. This is evident in the rough, prominent, and 0.5cm wide casting lines on both sides of the drum body. Traces of the toad are present throughout the drum surface, scattered around the 2, 5, 7, and 9 patterned rims, and also on the drum body itself. The traces of the toad statue indicate that the toad was cast in place rather than having its feet welded to the drum surface, as the casting marks are more widespread than the toad's footprints.

The bronze drum found in the bed of the Gâm River in Nhân Lý commune, Chiêm Hoá district (Tuyên Quang province) is on display at the provincial museum.

- Regarding the technique of creating patterns, the drum makers of Nhân Lý knew how to combine carving and printing methods (for example, patterns of masked dancers, zigzag patterns).

This is a late type of Dong Son drum, a transition from type I to type IV drums, but not as late as the Meo Vac drum ( Ha Giang ).

The northern mountainous region, including Tuyen Quang, further demonstrates through this study of drums that it is a transitional area from type I to type IV drums, partly contributing to understanding the origins of some types of bronze drums as well as the origins of some ethnic groups in this region.

Thien Ke bronze drum:

Some documents also refer to this drum as the Van Song drum because it was discovered in Van Song village, Thien Ke commune, Son Duong district.

The area where the bronze drum was found is a low hill bordering a field in a fairly wide valley. On January 4, 2003, while digging up bamboo roots, an ancient bronze drum was found at a depth of 1.8 meters below the surface. About 1 kilometer west of where the bronze drum was discovered, other artifacts such as spearheads, javelins, and arrowheads made of bronze were also found.

The drum was discovered buried upright, with its face down. It is relatively well-preserved, with a diameter of 70.5 cm, a height of 44.5 cm, a base width of 68 cm, and a weight of 33 kg.

In the center of the drum is a 12-pointed star, interspersed between the star's points are stylized peacock feather patterns, followed by 18 rings of patterns: a Lac bird flying counterclockwise, figures in disguise, hairpins, parallel lines, concentric circles, etc.

There are four embossed toad statues (but one is missing). The drum body is bulging, with two pairs of double handles symmetrically positioned between the drum body and the drumhead, decorated with rope patterns, and the drum feet are flared.

The drum's body, frame, and base have 16 bands of geometric patterns, mainly engraved lines and concentric circles, and one band with a cicada-wing pattern; this is a rather large band of patterns bordering the base of the drum (also known as a stylized sawtooth pattern).

The entire drumhead, rim, body, and base have numerous circular marks from supporting blocks. This is a Type I Heger drum and the second drum found in Tuyen Quang province after the Chiem Hoa bronze drum.

The Thien Ke bronze drum was found buried in the ground, proving that this is an archaeological site from the Metal Age.

During the Dong Son culture period, this area was a very long-standing settlement, even containing traces of pre-Dong Son culture. Evidence of this can be found in the Thien Ke ancient village site, located more than 1km west of where the bronze drums were discovered. This site, dating back to the Go Mun culture, has a distinct cultural layer and numerous pottery artifacts.

This is a late bronze drum, decorated with patterns that bear many similarities to the Chiêm Hóa bronze drum. The drum features highly stylized figures of dancing figures in costumes, stylized Lạc birds, hairpin-shaped patterns, and four toad-shaped figures.

The concentric circular patterns with dots in the center, and the short brick patterns on the drum's body and back, indicate that the drum entered a period of extensive geometric pattern design. Notably, the drum's base features a modified triangular pattern, suggesting a later date for the drum.

The drums were cast using clay molds and a series of supporting brackets, leaving quite a few traces on the drum's surface and body. Overall, the Thien Ke bronze drum is a type I drum, also known as a late Dong Son bronze drum, showing elements of transformation into a type IV drum.

Xuan Van Bronze Drum I:

It was discovered in November 2004 at a depth of 1.2m in Dong Dai village, Xuan Van commune, Yen Son district.

The drum was broken into many pieces (10 pieces), but the pieces of the drumhead, drum body, drum shell, and drum base were clearly identified: The drumhead has a diameter of 58cm, with a 12-rayed sun star in the center, interspersed with stylized peacock feather patterns. The decorative rings on the drumhead feature engraved patterns, concentric circles, images of Lac birds flying counterclockwise, figures of masked people, hairpin patterns, and interlocking diamond patterns; there are 4 toad statues rotating clockwise. The drum body is bulging, the drum shell is slender and cylindrical, and the drum base is flared.

This is a late Dong Son bronze drum, featuring highly stylized human figures in disguise, hairpins, interlocking diamond patterns, and four toad figures; indicating that the drum had begun to exhibit late elements transitioning to Type IV bronze drums. Because only fragments of this drum remain, more specific details of the patterns are unknown.

Xuan Van II Bronze Drum:

Found in Son Ha 4 village, Xuan Van commune, Yen Son district, only one drumhead fragment and two drum feet fragments remain. It's possible the drum broke into many pieces a long time ago, because at the cross-section, the fractures show a layer of copper rust patina, the same color as the patina on the surface of the drum fragments.

The drumhead is still relatively intact, featuring a 12-rayed sun star, with a star rim diameter of 14cm. Between the sun rays are decorative patterns of stylized peacock feathers; following the star is a rim of parallel lines and a rim of concentric circles (each rim of patterns is 1.1cm wide, forming concentric circles running around the drumhead).

Two drum-shaped base pieces: One piece measures 8.3cm x 16.5cm, and the other measures 8.1cm x 14cm. The base pieces have three decorative bands: two bands of concentric circles and one band of parallel lines.

At the bottom is a cicada-wing patterned rim (stylized sawtooth shapes resembling an inverted isosceles triangle, with a base of 1.6cm and a height of 2.3cm). All the drum pieces have a dark moss-green patina.

This is a late Dong Son bronze drum, featuring stylized triangular patterns at the base, indicating the drum's beginning to exhibit late elements transitioning to Type IV drums. Since only three fragments remain, it is unclear what other patterns besides the star and some geometric motifs were present on the drum's surface.

Bronze drums in the lives of the Metal Age inhabitants of Tuyen Quang:

To date, many Dong Son bronze drums (large musical instruments) have been found in the northern mountainous regions of Vietnam. Tuyen Quang province has contributed four bronze drums to the list of bronze drums discovered in the country. Remarkably, all the bronze drums found in Tuyen Quang were discovered underground, proving that the ancient inhabitants of Tuyen Quang were indeed the creators of the Dong Son bronze drums.

The bronze drums of Tuyen Quang must have played an important role in the spiritual life of the people of Tuyen Quang in the past. Perhaps they also served as symbols of leadership authority, in addition to their musical function.

Source: https://danviet.vn/bon-cai-trong-dong-dong-son-co-xua-dan-vo-tinh-dao-trung-tren-dat-tuyen-quang-20241101224926786.htm