Over 150 artifacts from the Dong Son culture are about to be unveiled to the public.

Building upon the achievements of prehistoric times, the ancient Vietnamese people entered the Metal Age, ushering in a new phase of development in the nation's history. This period marked a fundamental shift for ancient communities, manifested in their mastery of metallurgical techniques, as well as the formation of distinctive social structures, beliefs, and aesthetic concepts.

Building upon the foundations of the Phung Nguyen, Dong Dau, and Go Mun cultures, the tradition of metallurgy and bronze casting continuously improved and reached its glorious peak with the Dong Son culture (7th century BC – 1st century AD).

On the occasion of the Lunar New Year 2026 (Year of the Horse), the Ho Chi Minh City History Museum, in collaboration with the Museum of Ceramics from the Nation-Building Period and two private collections, Lam Bao Ngoc and Mai Si Tat Thang, organized a thematic exhibition titled "Echoes," introducing to the public more than 150 representative artifacts belonging to the Dong Son culture, selected and arranged according to 5 themes.

Over 150 artifacts from the Dong Son culture are about to be unveiled to the public - photo 2 — Bronze breastplate (Dong Son culture) - Collection of Lam Bao Ngoc

Specifically, the " Dong Son Pottery" themed group introduces artifacts such as bowls, vases, basins, and patterned imprints from the Phung Nguyen, Dong Dau, Go Mun, and Hoa Loc periods; the " Beauty of the Dong Son People" group showcases these items. Jewelry such as bracelets, earrings, hairpins, and beads reflects spiritual life, aesthetic concepts, and social stratification.

The " Rhythm of Working Life" themed group includes artifacts such as axes, plowshares, and containers associated with wet-rice agriculture . These artifacts are primarily cast in bronze, with structural improvements aimed at enhancing usability.

The theme "Power of the Era" introduces two types of weapons used by the Dong Son people: close-combat weapons (daggers, battle axes) and long-range weapons (spearheads, javelins, arrowheads). The theme "Echoes of Beliefs" presents the special role of bronze drums in the Dong Son culture…

According to the organizers, the "Echoes" exhibition not only clarifies the role of bronze in the crafting of artifacts, but also suggests continuity, like "echoes" of the Bronze Age in the past, resonating in the cultural depth and consciousness of Vietnamese people today.

The thematic exhibition "Echoes" will be open to the public from January 27th to March 31st, 2026 at the Ho Chi Minh City History Museum (2 Nguyen Binh Khiem Street, Saigon Ward, Ho Chi Minh City).

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/van-hoa/hon-150-hien-vat-van-hoa-dong-son-sap-ra-mat-cong-chung-199699.html