France hands over 2,000-year-old Dong Son bronze drum to Viet Nam

The bronze drum is more than 2,000 years old and is regarded as a representative artifact of the Bronze Age in Southeast Asia. It is associated with the metallurgical techniques of the Dong Son culture as well as with the history of Viet Nam.

The return of a Vietnamese cultural artifact was described by the French Ministry of Culture as evidence of the strong quality of diplomatic and cultural relations between France and Viet Nam.

The event also demonstrated the effectiveness of coordination among French state agencies in the fight against the illicit trafficking of cultural artifacts.

During the meeting between the Vietnamese leader and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on September 10, General Secretary and President To Lam expressed his sincere appreciation to the French side for returning the Dong Son bronze drum to Viet Nam as part of the two countries' commitment to combating the illicit trafficking of cultural property, and for donating a number of artifacts to the Museum of the Communist Party of Viet Nam.

He also proposed that France continue to support Viet Nam in researching, restoring, preserving and promoting the values of the country's heritage and historic structures, including Long Bien Bridge in Ha Noi and French colonial-era villas, with the participation of French architects.

Dong Son bronze drums are iconic items of the Dong Son culture, a Metal Age archaeological culture (700 B.C. – 100 AD), exemplifying the fine metalworking of the age.

The drums have been used as bronze musical instruments and traditional ritual objects since the time of Van Lang nation – the first nation in the history of Viet Nam.

They are usually large, well-proportioned and decorated with patterns depicting ancient Vietnamese people.

The Dong Son culture got its name from Dong Son village on the bank of the Ma River in the central province of Thanh Hoa./.