Việt Khê

The Việt Khê construction site is located on the southern base of a hill which overlooks the Hàn River near Thủy Nguyên District, Haiphong.

[1][2] In 2013, the largest coffin and its contained artifacts found at Việt Khê was designated as a national treasure of Vietnam by the Vietnamese Prime Minister.

There were 107 grave items including vase, urns, jars, censers, drums, axes, spearheads, chisels, bells, trays and a leather piece.

The pediform axes found at Viet Khe differ from most other specimens of Dong Son culture, because they were plain in appearance and had very sparse ornamental decoration.

The largest stands at 37 cm in its current fragmented condition,[5] bearing panels of decorative artwork that combine spiral and geometric motifs.

[6] The tho (thố) is a bronze hemispherical vessel with outward sloping sides standing on a low tripod pedestal, similar to an incense bowl.

The khay is an artefact not similar to modern implements, consistings of a low tray wide large handles, decorated with triangular figures and spiral motifs.

[9] On the musical front, a small drum was found, with a tympanum 23 cm wide showing the design of a central-rayed solar body, enveloped by four birds in flight.

[9] Some of the finds also parallel the objects unearthed in Lingnan in southern China, notably, the dinh tripod, the ring-ended paring knife and the bronze sword, as well as the heads of some arrows and spears.