Bronze drum collection of Kinh Bac tycoon

The Nam Hong Royal Museum (Dinh Bang, Tu Son) owned by businessman Nguyen The Hong, preserves thousands of antiques and bronze objects of the Dong Son culture, including 40 drums. Mr. Hong is the buyer of the "Hoang De Chi Bao" seal of King Minh Mang under the patronage of the Government and ministries, branches and agencies of Vietnam.

Collection of many types, shapes, and motifs typical of the development stages from the Dong Son period to the Le Nguyen period. In the past, bronze drums were used as musical instruments at important ceremonies or to encourage the fight against the Yuan army during the Tran Dynasty.

"Experts from many museums across the country provided advice on the design of the environment and space for preserving bronze drums at this museum. The earliest bronze drums, type 1, are extremely difficult to preserve," said Mr. Tran Trong Ha, former director of Quang Ninh Museum, currently manager of the Hoang Gia Nam Hong Museum.

The museum currently has 10 Heger 1 bronze drums. The drums date back 2,000-2,500 years, consisting of three parts: the drum body, the body and the balanced foot. The drum body is larger than the drum face, the drum face is 20 to 106 cm in size. The larger the drum, the more economic power and metallurgy level of the tribal leader. This type is the earliest bronze drum of Dong Son with simple shapes and patterns, and is a musical instrument for festivals or battles.

Frans Heger is an Austrian archaeologist who specializes in Southeast Asian bronze drums. He divided the drums into generations after his research, so many archaeological sites named bronze drums of different periods after him.

The typical Vietnamese drum is decorated with a 12-pointed sun, four primitive dragons, six Lac birds, 40 cm high, 63 cm in diameter.

The drum shows traditional patterns, inspired by the life of the Dong Son people when conquering new lands. The patterns worship the Sun, the fire god, and dugout canoes that opened up and developed the land.

The Dong Son bronze drum has a 12-pointed sun on its face, a figure of a disguised person wearing a feather running around, 10 Lac birds, and four frog statues. The drum body is decorated with six dugout canoes.

As a musical instrument and symbol of power, the drum is 80 cm high and 100 cm in diameter, appearing about 2,000 - 2,300 years ago.

The drum is a rare large size of this period, the drum body is 106 cm wide, the face is 100 cm wide. The statue is decorated with four frogs representing fertility.

According to museum management, bronze drums appear in many Southeast Asian countries. Previously, bronze drums were only found in the Ca River Delta (Nghe An), Ma River Delta (Thanh Hoa - Ninh Binh), Red River Delta, and the Northeast. Recently, archaeologists excavated and discovered dozens of these bronze drums in the Central Highlands, proving their wide distribution.

Heger 1 bronze drum collection, small size with simple motifs, different shapes.

Dong Son bronze drum Heger 1 has a drum face decorated with a 14-ray sun, a musical instrument symbolizing power about 2,200 - 2,500 years ago, 35 cm high, 37 cm in diameter.

Dong Son Heger 2 bronze drum has a seven-ray sun and four frog statues, appeared 1,400 - 1,800 years ago, 69 cm in diameter, 51 cm high.

The museum also has 10 Dong Son Heger 2 bronze drums dating back 1,600 - 2,000 years. The drums of this period are large, with a 75 cm wide surface and 60-70 cm high.

A drum 30 cm high, 50 cm in diameter, decorated with a six-ray sun and four frog symbols, is a musical instrument from the Ly - Tran dynasty, 11th - 14th century.

Dong Son Heger 3 bronze drum dates from 200 - 1,500 years ago (spanning the Dinh - Ly - Tran - Le dynasties).

Dong Son Heger 3 bronze drum has a drum face decorated with an eight-rayed sun, two Buddha statues, two frog statues, and is a musical instrument. The drum appeared during the Ly Dynasty, 11th - 13th century, 39 cm high, 60.5 cm in diameter.

Mr. Tran Trong Ha - former Director of Quang Ninh Provincial Museum, currently Manager of Nam Hong Royal Museum - next to a drum decorated with a 12-ray sun.

The drum is also engraved with eight frogs carrying each other, appeared in the 16th - 19th century, 53 cm high, 60 cm in diameter. The drum's surface has two holes, drilled by the drum maker to adjust the sound. According to the principle, the drum is beaten from the outer rim inwards with five notes, the handle has four holes showing that the drum is hung horizontally for beating.

In the museum collection, there is also a drum found in Southeast Asia with many characteristics similar to Vietnamese bronze drums, for example: the image of a herd of elephants at the foot of the drum, lotus-like patterns. The drum appears in museums in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and is recognized as a treasure by these countries. This drum uses a wax mold and then bronze is poured into it to create a shape that makes the patterns look sophisticated, without the need for polishing.