Hoàng Hạ bronze drum, Bronze ritual drum at National Museum of Vietnamese History, Hanoi, Vietnam
The Hoàng Hạ bronze drum is an ancient ritual object now housed in the National Museum of Vietnamese History. It measures 78.5 centimeters in diameter and 61.5 centimeters in height, with detailed engravings covering its entire surface.
The drum was discovered in 1937 during excavation work in Hoàng Hạ ward, having been buried underground for centuries. This finding reveals that bronze craftsmanship existed in the region long before written history.
The drum displays birds, people, celebrations, and games that reflect daily life in ancient Highland communities. These carvings show what mattered to these early people and how they spent their time.
This National Treasure is displayed at the National Museum of Vietnamese History with regular viewing hours throughout the week. The museum protects the artifact carefully, allowing visitors to see the fine details of the engravings clearly.
Some researchers believe this drum served more than just a ritual purpose, possibly functioning as an ancient calendar to track solstices in prehistoric times. The symmetrical patterns on its surface may have helped ancient people mark the changing seasons.
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