Bowl; Vietnam; Dong Son Culture; 1st - 2nd century A.D.

Bowl; Vietnam; Dong Son Culture; 1st - 2nd century A.D.
Patinated and chiseled bronze
It presents corrosion, chipping on edges and some holes.
Measurements: 16,5 x 44,5 x 44,5 cm.

Large bowl, possibly a domestic or ritual utensil, in patinated bronze, with clear signs of oxidation typical of the passage of time and use. It has handles on the sides to facilitate its handling, these decorated with "taotie" masks, abstract and symbolic representation of the forces of nature. In the lower half of the tank there is a frieze with herons in bas-relief, an emblem of longevity, considered a symbol of good omen. At the bottom of the piece is a pair of fish, symbol of conjugal happiness, a motif that would later be very successful, for example, on Longquan celadons. Finally, on the underside, a ten-pointed star appears in the center of a frieze of stylized figures, elements that are also frequently repeated on Dong Son ritual drums.

The Dong Son culture was a Bronze Age culture in ancient Vietnam, centered in the Red River Valley. It spanned from 1000 BC to the 1st century AD, extending its influence to other parts of Southeast Asia. The Dong people were skilled bronze casters using the lost-wax casting method.