The jewelry set consists of 4 earrings, 104 gold beads, and 2 unique artifacts made of agate in the shapes of a water bird and a tiger, dating back 2,000 years. These were found in the Lai Nghi burial site (Dien Nam commune, Dien Ban district, now Dien Nam Dong ward, Dien Ban town, Quang Nam province) and are currently being kept under strict security. These unique artifacts have recently been proposed for recognition as National Treasures.
Artifacts Telling a Thousand-Year Story
It took three years (from 2002 to 2004) for the archaeological team to complete their work at the site, but the “treasure” collected from the Lai Nghi burial site brought immense joy to the team. Dr. Lam Thi My Dung (University of Social Sciences and Humanities – Vietnam National University, Hanoi), who was directly involved in the excavation team, stated that many precious artifacts were discovered during the archaeological process at the Lai Nghi burial site, including the jewelry set and rare agate pieces that are now being documented for recognition as National Treasures. These are original artifacts, discovered directly at the Lai Nghi burial site through archaeological excavation, showcasing an intact cultural layer and dated using multiple methods.
Experts and technical staff of the excavation team at work. Photo (courtesy of Quang Nam Museum).
The Lai Nghi burial site is located in the Thu Bon River basin, 5 km from Hoi An and adjacent to an area dense with Sa Huynh cultural relics in Duy Xuyen district, Quang Nam. The site is situated in a village, within a 500 square meter garden of a local resident. The total excavation area of 199.3 m2 at Lai Nghi yielded 10,423 artifacts.
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“Archaeological heritage should not just be ‘locked’ in a warehouse or displayed statically in museums; it should be exhibited and promoted to help local people understand the historical depth and significance of Quang’s land in the context of historical and cultural development. Moreover, these artifacts should be used as prototypes or models to explore the development of cultural industries and cultural tourism. The heritage must be utilized to benefit humanity,” Dr. Lam Thi My Dung shared. |
The archaeological team discovered the richest collection of burial jewelry to date. Experts believe that no other burial site has revealed artifacts associated with the deceased that express social status and wealth stratification with such complexity.
After excavation, the artifacts were stored in the Quang Nam Provincial Museum. Recently, the Quang Nam Provincial People’s Committee proposed recognizing the gold jewelry set and agate artifacts dating from the 3rd century BC to the middle of the 1st century BC as National Treasures.
Image of artifacts found at the excavation site.
The gold jewelry set includes 4 earrings and 104 gold beads. The earrings are round in cross-section, made of gold, featuring twisted patterns, with openings in the body. The 104 gold beads have the shape of two conical shapes inverted against each other, with a ridge connecting the center, flat ends, and a vertical hole through the body. Despite their small size, the details of the animal shapes are quite intricate, with meticulous and lively carvings.
Based on their shapes, components, and techniques, experts believe that among the 4 gold artifacts, 3 were officially imported, while the remaining earring is made from local gold ore and crafted by locals. This also demonstrates a transfer of technical know-how, rather than merely importing goods.
The two agate artifacts shaped like animals, including the bead shaped like a water bird and the one shaped like a tiger, are particularly noteworthy as they are the only specimens discovered within the Sa Huynh culture in Vietnam. The bead depicting the water bird measures 15 cm in length, 0.75 cm in height, 0.6 cm thick at the wing tip, 0.8 cm long for the beak, and has a hole diameter of 0.15 cm. The artifact features characteristics of a water bird, possibly a rail (scientific name: Porthyrio Linnaeus). On the surfaces and bodies of some ancient bronze drums in Vietnam, early artists depicted the rail alongside various species such as deer, toads, grasses, herons, and pelicans.
The bead in the shape of a tiger is also intricately carved and lively. This bead measures 1.4 cm in length, 1.1 cm in height, 0.7 cm thick, and has a hole diameter of 0.1 cm. Notably, these two animal-shaped agate artifacts were found in an intact cultural layer at the Lai Nghi burial site.
Images of jewelry found at the Lai Nghi burial site.
According to archaeological experts, while gold beads and agate artifacts can also be found in private museums, their particular significance lies in the fact that these valuable artifacts were discovered within a specific archaeological context, thus containing information about their dating and reflecting social relationships.
Dr. Lam Thi My Dung stated that the agate artifacts in the shapes of a bird and a tiger, found in archaeological contexts, are rare in Southeast Asia, indicating the high status of the individual buried with these artifacts. Furthermore, these artifacts were likely imported intact (possibly from India), suggesting that there were already exchanges between the inhabitants of the Lai Nghi area, affirming the historical significance of Hoi An as a crucial trade link with the outside world.
According to the Quang Nam Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, since 1975, Vietnamese and international archaeologists have collaborated with the Quang Nam Museum to unearth archaeological treasures related to the Sa Huynh culture. After nearly 50 years, over 100 sites with Sa Huynh cultural relics have been discovered, distributed along the Thu Bon River, Vu Gia River, Truong Giang River, and even coastal sandbanks and islands. Numerous Sa Huynh burial sites have also been excavated in the lower reaches of the Thu Bon River near Hoi An, such as Lai Nghi, Hau Xa 1, Hau Xa 2, An Bang, and Trang Soi. Through thousands of artifacts from excavated cultural layers, archaeologists have “narrated” the story of the living spaces of the ancient Sa Huynh people, thereby broadly outlining the early metal age in Quang Nam.
Hope for Public Display of the National Treasures
Mr. Tran Van Duc, Deputy Director in charge of the Quang Nam Museum, stated that the artifacts are currently being preserved with special care at the museum. These are original, unique artifacts because they were discovered directly at the Lai Nghi burial site through archaeological excavation, featuring an intact cultural layer and have been dated using various methods.
“Given that these artifacts were found during archaeological excavations at their original location within the cultural layer, they contain important scientific information, offering significant value for research and understanding cultural-historical issues related to the Lai Nghi site and Sa Huynh culture. These are rare artifacts in Sa Huynh culture specifically and in ancient civilizations worldwide generally. Therefore, the Quang Nam Provincial People’s Committee has prepared documentation to propose their recognition as National Treasures,” Mr. Duc informed.
According to Mr. Duc, the jewelry set, made of precious materials and possessing significant historical and scientific value, is something everyone wishes to see. A positive sign is that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has recently proposed that provincial museums research and suggest ways for the Ministry to support enhancing preservation and display efforts, as well as solutions to exhibit these artifacts to meet the cultural enjoyment needs of the people.
