2,300 bronze drum mold fragments found in Vietnamese castle –

Archaeologists excavated more than 2,300 fragments of molds used to make bronze drums during the Tran Dynasty (1225-1400) in the Lu Lou ancient citadel in Vietnam. Dongshan bronze drums produced with these molds are not just musical instruments; They are revered as sacred objects. They are also masterpieces of ancient metallurgy.

Lulou, located 20 miles east of present-day Hanoi, was the first capital of the Jiaozhi region, ruled from 185 AD to 225 AD by the Han Dynasty of China (202 BC to 220 AD), from 111 BC to AD 106 BC. It was the first major urban political, commercial and religious center in what was then Dau land (now Vietnam). There was an inner city and an outer city, and archaeological excavations have uncovered the remains of magnificent architecture – pagodas, palaces, monuments – as well as evidence of daily life – household items, ceramics, cooking tools. It is also the largest city in Dau; the inner citadel alone is 590 feet wide from east to west and 360 feet long from north to south.

The castle’s ceramics industry flourished, producing exquisite green-glazed pottery for the country’s royal family and nobility. Luy Lay potters also created a red glaze line that has long been erroneously attributed to makers in the southern Red River region. Glazed ceramics were also used to make building materials for temples and palaces. Traditional pottery lines continued into the 17th century, but after a long period of disuse, the ancient craft was revived in the 20th century, inspired by archaeological finds and much trial and error. scratches. Today, researchers and craftsmen in the Bac Ninh region work to preserve traditional techniques and develop modern production of ancient pottery collections.

The production of cast bronze coincided with the production of ceramics because the molds were ceramic. In 1999, the first bronze mold fragment was discovered in the castle, and since then, mold fragments from as early as the 4th century have been unearthed. Molds are made in different sizes and patterns and stamped onto the surface of the drum. Some patterns are circles, parallel lines, popcorn and feather shapes.

The 2024 excavation area is approximately 645 square feet and the excavation depth is approximately 4.5 feet. In this relatively shallow trench, archaeologists discovered strata from five historical periods, from the Luc Trieu period (3rd to 6th century) to the early Nguyen period (19th century).

Among the artifacts discovered were a large outer mold for the drum head with a complete decorative floral pattern from the center to the outer edge of the drum, as well as mold fragments for the drum body and drum legs.

This is the first time that a large number of Chen Dynasty cultural relics have been discovered. They are scattered on the upper level of the site, indicating that the Luliu Castle area was used for a long time during the Chen Dynasty.

According to the excavation results, experts confirmed that Luliu was an important metallurgy and bronze casting center. It will reveal more about bronze drum casting techniques in ancient Vietnam and the influence of Dong Son culture throughout the country’s history.