Dong Son Culture & Bronze Drums - Hồn Trống Việt

The Dong Son culture was a Bronze Age civilization that flourished in northern Vietnam from around 1000 BC to the 1st century ADDTV coi quái Càn, Tinh thần, vô hình, vô hạn, vạch liền, số lượng lẻ, vòng tròn & màu đen là âm, còn quái Khôn,... More ¹, ². It is named after the village of Dong Son in Thanh Hoa Province, where many of its remains have been found ³.

Origin

The origins of the Dong Son culture are evidenced by the Dong Son drums, which showcase the skilled bronze casting techniques of the ancient Vietnamese. These drums were used in warfare, ritual, and festivals ⁴. The Dong Son bronze drums, such as the famous Ngoc Lu drum, display remarkable craftsmanship with intricate designs including drummers, warriors, rice processing, animals, and geometric patterns ⁵, ⁶, ⁷.

The Dong Son culture arose from the convergence of earlier cultures in the Red River Delta region. Archaeological evidence suggests the Dong Son culture emerged in the 8th-7th centuries BC. Over time, it spread its influence throughout Southeast Asia, with Dong Son-style artifacts found as far as southern China and Indonesia ⁸.

The Dong Son culture represents a golden age of Vietnamese art and culture. Its bronze drums and other artifacts demonstrate a high level of technical skill and artistry that was influential across the region ⁹, ¹⁰, ¹¹.

Techniques Used to Create Bronze Drums

The intricate designs on Dong Son bronze drums were created using advanced bronze-casting techniques that reflect the artistry and craftsmanship of the Dong Son culture. Key methods employed include:

Casting Techniques

Lost-Wax Casting: This method involved creating a wax model of the drum, which was then encased in clay. Once the clay mold was heated, the wax melted away, leaving a cavity into which molten bronze was poured. This technique allowed for detailed and complex designs to be incorporated into the final product ¹², ¹³.
Mold Construction: Archaeological excavations have uncovered numerous molds used for casting these drums. These molds were often made from clay mixed with rice husks and small pebbles, baked at high temperatures (around 900 degrees Celsius) to ensure durability. The molds were designed to accommodate both the outer and inner shapes of the drums, allowing for large and intricately patterned pieces¹⁴
, ¹⁵.

Decorative Techniques

Fig. 4: The center of the Ngoc Lu Bronze Drum

Engraving: Patterns were often engraved directly onto the molds, which allowed for hidden strokes that would appear as detailed designs on the finished drum. This method contributed to the realism of the depicted scenes, which included daily life, agriculture, and warfare¹⁶.
Stencil Printing: Another technique involved using stencils to create embossed patterns on the surface of the drums, enhancing the visual complexity of the designs. This method facilitated the reproduction of intricate motifs across multiple drums¹⁷.

Artistic Features

The designs on Dong Son drums typically feature a variety of motifs, including geometric patterns, depictions of animals, and scenes of human activity, such as drumming, rice pounding, and warfare. These elements not only reflect the daily life of the Dong Son people but also highlight their cultural and spiritual beliefs¹⁸, ¹⁹.

Overall, the combination of sophisticated casting and decorative techniques resulted in the creation of the Dong Son bronze drums, which are not only significant cultural artifacts but also masterpieces of ancient metalworking.

Hãy chia sẻ

Origin

Techniques Used to Create Bronze Drums

Casting Techniques

Decorative Techniques

Artistic Features

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