Dong Son Bronze Bracelet - bangle

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Open hollow bangle bracelet
Dong Son culture (Northern Vietnam and expansion area in Southeast Asia)
Bronze Age, ca. 5th century BCE – 1st century CE
Lost-wax cast bronze
17.5 cm x 9.5 cm
1.3 kg

Bronze adornment bracelet, made using the lost-wax technique. The ring adopts a tubular, hollow, semi-toroidal profile, testifying to the mastery of Dong Son bronze smiths in creating lightweight yet voluminous objects.

The outer contour is understated and favors the purity of line. The metallic surface highlights an archaeological patina from excavations that is particularly authentic, with a green copper carbonate (malachite) background, sporadically speckled with whitish sedimentary concretions and remnants of ochre-brown soil strongly cemented to the material.

In the protohistoric communities of the Dong Son culture, bronze bracelets were among the most common forms of body adornment, worn by both men and women. Beyond their obvious aesthetic value, these ornaments signaled the social status and the wealth of their owner within the clan, as bronze remained a precious and highly symbolic metal. Locally produced or integrated into the exchange networks of the Indochina Peninsula, these bracelets were regularly deposited in large numbers in tombs, threaded on the limbs of the deceased or laid beside them to accompany them in the afterlife.

Condition:
Good structural conservation. The bangle has perfectly preserved its original curvature and integrity, with no major deformation. The natural patina from excavation has been preserved in its raw state, without abrasive cleaning, highlighting its archaeological interest.

Provenance: Kanaka The Collection Portugal

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