Dong Son drum

The drums were produced from about 600 BCE or earlier until the third century CE; they are one of the culture's most astounding examples of ancient metalworking.

They are decorated with geometric patterns, scenes of daily life, agriculture, war, animals and birds, and boats.

One of the recurring pattern is the Lạc bird found in the second outer ring and also in the symbolism of Mo (religion).

The discovery of Đông Sơn drums in New Guinea, is seen as proof of trade connections – spanning at least the past thousand years – between this region and the societies of Java and China.

The scenes depict daily life of ancient Việt and reflect the artistic talent and mind.

The drums were used as musical instruments in festivals, such as prayers for rain, for good harvest and rituals, such as weddings and funerals, as well as command in army.

The Heger 1 drums of the Đông Sơn culture were classified and divided into five groups by the Vietnamese scholar Pham Huy Thong in 1990, a division that implied a chronological succession.

The drum was accidentally discovered in 1893 in Hà Nam Province, southeast of Hanoi, rather than during a planned expedition.

In contrast to most other drums of the Dong Son, the drumhead bears three concentric panels depicting animals or humans interleaved with bands of geometric or circular patterns.

[9] It was discovered in Hòa Bình Province in 1937 near the village of Hoàng Ha, with an outer panel of crane egrets and an inner panel which shows a procession similar to that described in the Ngọc Lũ drum, the most famous of the Đông Sơn drums.

[9] The Sông Đà drum is a notable specimen discovered in Ha Son Binh in the 19th century.

[10] The Quang Xuong drum from Thanh Hóa Province is another specimen, which is believed to be possibly later in origin.