MUSEUM-CLASS LARGE DECORATIVE ANCIENT BRONZE PRESTIGE BANGLE BRACELET FROM THE SOUTHEAST ASIA DONG SON CULTURE *SEA18

Product Description

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Dating from 1000 BC to 100 AD, the Dong Son culture is believed to be Asia's first civilization for ancient bronze casting.  This MASSIVE complete and intact ancient bronze hollow cuff bangle bracelet comes from the Dong Son culture of ancient Southeast Asia.  Completely embellished with a dizzying array of geometric designs across the ENTIRE surface, this bracelet represents THE ZENITH in ancient body adornment for wealth and noble status of a woman.  The quality of the workmanship and casting is truly of the FINEST possible condition and preservation.  Often, with minute details as are present on this specimen, the lost wax casting process leaves areas unfilled and incomplete as a defect in the casting.  This example lacks any such defect and displays the pinnacle of the ancient bronze artisan, in the incredible execution of such an amazing feat of ancient metalworking.  

The entire bracelet is hollow but with a robust bell-like construction.  Originally, a bronze pellet was inserted into this bracelet and as it was worn, this knocker would send a dull ringing and vibrations through the bracelet to the wearer's wrist.  The pellet is still inside but it is embedded in the ancient sediment that is still present in some of the cavity.  We subjected this specimen to our full lab cleaning / conservation process but we left many of the deposits inside to provide positive proof of its age and authenticity.  While this treasure is rather heavy, it is still wearable today for someone that has a small enough wrist.

This bangle features elaborate outer designs with two decorative terminals that come close together.  An open outer edge runs the full circumference of the bangle.  Its size and detail indicates it was for a woman of a high noble or wealth class family.  Rich and colorful ancient encrustations compliment the exceptional preservation.  

Requiring great skill in their crafting, these ancient Dong Son bronzes demonstrate a highly developed and artistically talented society that once thrived in ancient Southeast Asia.  Objects like these were reserved for the most wealthy and noble class citizens of this culture.

This genuine ancient metal object has been professionally cleaned and conserved in our lab, the metal treated to protect against corrosion.  Caution when acquiring UNTREATED ancient metal objects as they are extremely hygroscopic (attract moisture from the atmosphere), and are highly prone to corrosion and severe deterioration, over time.  Every metal antiquity we sell is always cleaned and conserved in ways that exceed museum standards, to protect and preserve the object for the future.  This is extremely rare in the public antiquity market.

HISTORY

The Dong Son culture (named for Đông Sơn, a village in Vietnam) was a Bronze Age culture in ancient Vietnam centered at the Red River Valley of northern Vietnam from 1000 BC until the first century AD.  It was the last great culture of Văn Lang and continued well into the period of the Âu Lạc state.  Its influence spread to other parts of Southeast Asia, including Maritime Southeast Asia, from about 1000 BC to 1 BC.

The Dong Son people, who are also known as Lạc or Lạc Việt, were skilled at cultivating rice, keeping water buffalo and pigs, fishing and sailing in long dugout canoes.  They also were skilled bronze casters, which is evidenced by the Dong Son drum found widely throughout northern Vietnam and South China.

The origins of Dong Son culture may be traced back to ancient bronze castings. The traditional theory is based on the assumption that bronze casting in eastern Asia originated in northern China. However, according to archaeological discoveries in Isan, Thailand in the 1970s, the casting of bronze began in Southeast Asia first.  The Dong Son bronze industry has a local origin, equivalent in timing to the Gò Mun culture, 700-500 BC. This includes bronze axes, spearheads and knives.  This was followed by daggers, swords, drums, and situla from 500-0 BC. Finally, Chinese seals, coins, mirrors and halberds appear in the first century AD.