All that glitters
Sold gold treasures from ancient Vietnam go on show in Germany
A dragon seal made of pure gold and weighing 4.7 kilograms is just one of the extremely valuable exhibits at a major new exhibition in Europe that surveys the history of Vietnamese culture.
The seal had to be kept in the safe of the archaeology museum in Herne, Germany while tradesmen were in the building preparing the special show, entitled “Treasures of Vietnam’s Archaeology”.
The museum and German Foreign Ministry spent years negotiating with the Vietnamese authorities over terms for the exhibition. The exhibition opens up insights into Vietnam’s past, which is little known to Europeans.
The heavy seals were symbols of power belonging to the Vietnamese emperors. At least 100 such seals were produced during the Nguyen dynasty from 1802 to 1945.
The almost 400 exhibits assembled from eight museums include magnificent jade sceptres, mythical creatures made from terracotta and enormous bronze drums.
A temple – eight metres high and five metres wide – which visitors can enter, has been reconstructed inside the museum.
The original temple at Po Klong Garai in southern Vietnam was built by the Cham people in the late 13th century.
Guided by the archaeological discoveries of the last six decades, visitors to the exhibition will go on a fascinating journey through more than 10,000 years of Vietnam’s cultural history, from the Stone Age to the present. The exhibition assembles archaeological jewels from the eight Vietnamese museums and include oldest Stone Age finds, examples of excellent bronze craftsmanship and gold objects. They come from bizarre cavern landscapes, from graves hidden in the jungle, from settlements in river valleys and on mountain plateaux.
The Dong Son culture is amongst Southeast Asia’s most magnificent Metal Age cultures. Weapons, vessels and jewellery are expertly cast and richly decorated. The bronze drums were symbols of the Dong Son elite which were “consecrated” and after the death of their owners were buried with them. The richness of many graves, such as the boat-shaped grave of Viet Khe with its almost 100 bronze objects, is unsurpassed and documents the heyday of this society.
From the 2nd century AD a new power, the Cham empire, arose, whose culture and religion were shaped by India. The temples of the ruined city of My Son, a World Cultural Heritage site since 1999, with their imposing, innovative architecture, provide the viewer with an impression of the economic and political power of the Cham.
Amongst the archaeological finds from Than Long (1010 AD-17th Century) are precious metal objects, pottery, wood and stone sculptures that testify to the magnificence and riches of the former capital. The characteristic terracotta dragon heads were intended to protect the palace complex. Previously unknown remains of the citadel of Than Long were uncovered during building work in 2001. Since then it has been extensively excavated and in 2010 was declared a Unesco World Cultural Heritage site.
The exhibition runs through February 26.
