Treasures from river beds
10/01/2009
VietNamNet Bridge - Rare artifacts pulled from rivers in southern Vietnam give a glimpse into days long past, discovers Hong Nhung
Artifacts unearthed from riverbeds in southern Vietnam, now on display at the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Vietnamese History, reveal intimate details of the lives of residents living there thousands of years ago.
The showcase presents over 400 objects made from a variety of materials including antique ceramic wares, terracotta wares, embossments, jars, vessels, axes, rings, earrings and other items picked from the beds of major southern rivers such as the Sai Gon, Dong Nai, Vam Co, Tien and Hau.
Rivers, with their life-sustaining waters, are where many civilisations arise from and which make them an ideal collecting ground for tools, trash and precious items. There are many reasons for ancient items to be dropped or sunk into rivers: broken items are thrown into them or precious things accidentally fall in. Natural disasters or accidents have also made many ancient items fell into the deep water. The whole region is also covered by a complicated network of rivers and canals, and the lives of its inhabitants are intricately connected to it. Hence, the rivers become treasure troves with diverse antique items.
Items on display reveal the development of technology and production from ancient until modern times, as well as mark the growth of trading among the region as proven by artifacts found which originated from Cambodia, China, France, Great Britain, Thailand, Spain and Mexico.
The most important items on display are probably stone antiquities from the pre-historic era found along the Dong Nai river, which includes a 2,500 year-old axe. Stoneware found only in this river proves that the Dong Nai area was home to primitive peoples thousands years ago. Tools and weapons found such as stone axes, knives, spear heads, etc. show that the first inhabitants not only cleared land and produced food, but also hunted and protected themselves.
Another highlight at the exhibit are the Oc Eo terracotta jars believed to belong to Phu Nam, a nation that probably existed in the southwest part of current-day Vietnam from the first to the seventh century. According to collector Nguyen Thanh Hai, Oc Eo terracotta jars made of soil baked in high heat are very simply shaped and decorated, yet they are very practical. There are other Oc Eo items that Hai has collected, which display carvings of Hanuman monkeys that look very similar to decorative knives used in traditional Malaysian weddings.
Other antiquities of note are Viet Nam’s largest 9th century Yoni idol and a 2,000 year-old bronze drum. “Artifacts showcased in the exhibition are lively evidence of the founding and development of the South. Although artifacts from the Oc Eo civilisation and Khmer civilisation do not significantly stand out, they are the witness of civilisations that once seeded and bloomed in the area,” said Hai.
Pieces taken out of the Saigon River from the French ship L’Esperance, which was sunk by national hero Nguyen Trung Truc in 1861, are on display along with a 14 ton cannon cast by the French. These objects show the early involvement of French forces in southern Vietnam, and the struggle of Vietnamese again the heavily-armed French army.
The objects have been pulled together from other museum’s collections in several provinces, as well as from several private collections including Tran Anh Dung, Nguyen Van Hai, Tong Minh Hiep, Nguyen Huu Triet, Huynh Phuoc Hue. The exhibition is showed in the Museum of Vietnamese History in Ho Chi Minh City at 2 Nguyen Binh Khiem Street, District 1 until April next year.
Artifacts unearthed from riverbeds in southern Vietnam, now on display at the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Vietnamese History, reveal intimate details of the lives of residents living there thousands of years ago.
The showcase presents over 400 objects made from a variety of materials including antique ceramic wares, terracotta wares, embossments, jars, vessels, axes, rings, earrings and other items picked from the beds of major southern rivers such as the Sai Gon, Dong Nai, Vam Co, Tien and Hau.
Rivers, with their life-sustaining waters, are where many civilisations arise from and which make them an ideal collecting ground for tools, trash and precious items. There are many reasons for ancient items to be dropped or sunk into rivers: broken items are thrown into them or precious things accidentally fall in. Natural disasters or accidents have also made many ancient items fell into the deep water. The whole region is also covered by a complicated network of rivers and canals, and the lives of its inhabitants are intricately connected to it. Hence, the rivers become treasure troves with diverse antique items.
Items on display reveal the development of technology and production from ancient until modern times, as well as mark the growth of trading among the region as proven by artifacts found which originated from Cambodia, China, France, Great Britain, Thailand, Spain and Mexico.
The most important items on display are probably stone antiquities from the pre-historic era found along the Dong Nai river, which includes a 2,500 year-old axe. Stoneware found only in this river proves that the Dong Nai area was home to primitive peoples thousands years ago. Tools and weapons found such as stone axes, knives, spear heads, etc. show that the first inhabitants not only cleared land and produced food, but also hunted and protected themselves.
Another highlight at the exhibit are the Oc Eo terracotta jars believed to belong to Phu Nam, a nation that probably existed in the southwest part of current-day Vietnam from the first to the seventh century. According to collector Nguyen Thanh Hai, Oc Eo terracotta jars made of soil baked in high heat are very simply shaped and decorated, yet they are very practical. There are other Oc Eo items that Hai has collected, which display carvings of Hanuman monkeys that look very similar to decorative knives used in traditional Malaysian weddings.
Other antiquities of note are Viet Nam’s largest 9th century Yoni idol and a 2,000 year-old bronze drum. “Artifacts showcased in the exhibition are lively evidence of the founding and development of the South. Although artifacts from the Oc Eo civilisation and Khmer civilisation do not significantly stand out, they are the witness of civilisations that once seeded and bloomed in the area,” said Hai.
Pieces taken out of the Saigon River from the French ship L’Esperance, which was sunk by national hero Nguyen Trung Truc in 1861, are on display along with a 14 ton cannon cast by the French. These objects show the early involvement of French forces in southern Vietnam, and the struggle of Vietnamese again the heavily-armed French army.
The objects have been pulled together from other museum’s collections in several provinces, as well as from several private collections including Tran Anh Dung, Nguyen Van Hai, Tong Minh Hiep, Nguyen Huu Triet, Huynh Phuoc Hue. The exhibition is showed in the Museum of Vietnamese History in Ho Chi Minh City at 2 Nguyen Binh Khiem Street, District 1 until April next year.
16 comments:
Wat Arun
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=3tYKWdbHE80&feature=channel_page
Sooner or later youn gonna run out of lies. Cause more and more evidence will prove itself that youn are by nature crook like wolf or rats.
Oh no ... not again!
All Khmer artifacts in Vietnam belong Khmer in Vietnam.
So don't even think about it, Ah monkey!
O keo is a big port where Empire of Nokor Phnom (Founan) exchanged commerce with other countries (Orient and occident). A place where people prospered and lived in happiness with their differences (colors, culture, belief) but this place as Cambodia become a curse and a hell under yuon domination
What to ask a race do anything more than what’s its nature allow it to !!!
Khmer compatriots!
Oc Eo is an old port of Funan. Oc Eo is located further south of the capital of Funan which is agreed by many Archaeologists and researchers to be at Angkor Borei (Takeo province) based on its significant location and richness in good and valuable artifacts.
I am glad if any of you are able to help to protect looting of artifact from Angkor Borei. I and some of friends used to run cultural dissemination program in Angkor Borei in order to educate people about Khmer artifact and its value for Khmer culture.
We also support about 450 children at 4 primary schools along Angkor Borei river down to Cam-VN border so that they can have a brighter future like most of us who are fortunated to access to internet or to go abroad for study. If you want to know more about the project, you can go to: http://buildbettercambodia.wordpress.com/
It is a continuous project, and the 9th project had been conducted on January 2, 2009, with a participation of about 60 students from Phnom Penh. If you had any question or idea how to raise fund to help our Cambodian children, or continue archaeological/cultural dissemination project, please contact me at: pisith_archaeology@hotmail.com
Thanks,
or go to: http://buildbettercambodia.wordpress.com/
Grow up, guys. When you trade Nokor Phnom for pretty, you can't get a refund or reverse the deal. How are you going to give back the women that you screwed.
To those who are so stupid, ignorant son of a whore.
Where is your evidence that Khmer traded land for Youn PUSSY?
ah 4:12, go crew the head of your fuky mama you will find it, and why not yourself ah chhakaourt
EVERYONE KNOWN SOUTHVIETNAM BELONG TO THE KHMER PEOPLE. (KAMPUCHEA KROM) A YOUN GOT NOTHING. VIETNAMESE DON'T GET ANYTHING BELONG TO THEM, VIETNAMESE COPY ALL TRADITION FROM CHINESE, EVERTHING THEY DO IS CHINESE TRADITION, EVEN VIETNAMESE NEW YEAR (TET) IS AN CHINESE NEW YEAR. VIETNAMESE GOT VIETCONG,HO CHI MINH, AN THIT CHO.
Nope, nothing belongs to all Khmers, but belong to Khmer in a certain region. for instant the temple in Minnesota belongs to Khmer in Minnesota, not Khmer in California, not Khmer in Vietnam, ...., and not Khmer in Cambodia. Similarly, the temple in Vietnam belong to Khmer in Vietnam, not Khmer in Minnesota, not Khmer in Cambodia, or Khmer in France. Last but not least, the temple on the mountain, belong to Khmer on that mountain, not Khmer in Cambodia, not Khmer in Vietnam, .... So don't even try to steal something that doesn't belong to you, you piece of shit (8:42).
1:26 PM hey asshole who own Angkor Wat now?
Ankor belongs to Khmer in Siem Reap, Fool (1:37).
Ah jkourt 3:50PM is nobody, but someone who likes to aggravate all of us. If Angkor belongs to Khmer in Siem Reap, then people in Siem Reap belongs to Cambodia, you psychopath.
@ 8:42 AM
LOL...I always find it funny when Khmers like you like to insult the Viets by claiming that their culture is a copy of Chinese culture as if Khmer culture is unique and original. You do realize that your culture and religion is a copy of Indian culture right? The bas-relief at Angkor were base on "INDIAN" epic tales not Khmer epic tales. Garudas, Hanuman, Shiva, Vishnu, etc., were all stolen from Indian culture. But I guess it's the internet, even idiots gets a voice.
Yep, just as expected. The savage Youns not only claim the Chinese culture and now they claim the Khmer culture as well. What else is new, Du Ma Cong Cak! I tell you this much, without Kampuchea Krom or Lower Cambodia, the Viets will perish from the face of this earth. That is the truth. Don't you see, the Viets can never ever make it in their ancestral land of North Vietnam, and that is why they migrate to live in the Khmer land. If you don't believe me, just look at the YOUNs in Srok Khmer as we speak. What would they do without the Khmer land, these savage YOUNs. If they are honorable, they would have left Kampuchea Krom just like the way the Israel people left the Gaza Strip already. You see how lowly the savage YOUNs are. I tell you they are noble savages.
i know, even some foreign historians, of course, aided by the french during the colonial time, goes by the vietnamese(french aided) corrupted khmer word of this ancient khmer seaport or O'Keo(noted how the vietnamese with french aide of course, played with the spelling of the original khmer name of O'Keo to Oc Eo, note how the letter "K" was changed to "c", just to confuse the historians). anyway, the truth was, the corrupted spelling or word "Oc Eo" or whatever is originated from the ancient khmer word or name of this khmer seaport of O'Keo, of course - the khmer word "O" means a canal, creek, or stream, etc which in modern-day khmer language is the same as the word "preak". however, the word "O" is still being used in today cambodia as well. so far, i have not come across any historian explaining the origin of the corrupted word "Oc Eo" or whatever. the truth, of course, this word was derived from the ancient khmer name for this ancient khmer seaport called "O'Keo", of course! by the way, "O Keo" means the same as preak keo or the crystal canal or or glass canal as in the appearance of the water reflection, i guess. and take the khmer word "takeo" for instance, note it has the word "keo", pronounced "keov, actually in the khmer sound, that is. anyway, i hope they will get it right, especially when trying to study the origin of the name in khmer. of course, the vietnamese gov't tried to impose their language, culture, costume etc, on cambodia, thus one see all of these corrupted vietnamese spelling or words that were actually based or translated from the true, origin khmer names. take also "saigon" and "prey nokor" for example. interesting how the viets are trying to impose their lack of on cambodia and indigenous khmer people! but of course, they (viets) have always failed at that!
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