The "Champa Treasures: Marks of Time" exhibition, which opened on August 28 at the National Museum of History in collaboration with the Vietnam Cultural Heritage Association and private collector Dao Danh Duc, has quickly become the subject of controversy. Following the exhibition's opening, social media buzzed with allegations that some of the statues on display are counterfeit.

Golden Buddha statue. Photo: National Museum of History

In response to these claims, VietNamNet reached out to Nguyen Van Doan, Director of the National Museum of History, who expressed surprise, noting that there are always mixed opinions whenever the museum collaborates with private collectors for exhibitions.

According to Doan, extensive research goes into organizing an exhibition, so it is unclear what basis there is for labeling the artifacts as fake. He mentioned that the museum worked closely with experts such as Dr. Pham Quoc Quan and Dr. Nguyen Dinh Chien, who conducted thorough research and evaluations of the artifacts, employing scientific methods like testing and dating.

"The goal of involving private entities in the exhibition is to honor and preserve cultural heritage. The Party and State encourage socialization in exhibitions to diversify artifacts and engage the private sector in meaningful activities. We conducted in-depth research before deciding to display these items. It's puzzling that some people can claim the artifacts are fake just by looking at photos," Doan remarked.

Doan also referenced the work of French researchers H. Parmentier and E. Durand, who in 1905 published detailed studies on the "treasures" of Champa kings in the journal of the French School of the Far East.

"These publications provided the first authentic images, enabling us to identify and evaluate artifacts of this type that are now in the collections of museums and private collectors both domestically and internationally," Doan added.

The National Museum of History collaborated with various entities to select and present more than 60 representative artifacts made of gold and silver from the 17th and 18th centuries, most of which are being exhibited for the first time.

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Statue of a male deity made of gold and gemstones. Photo: National Museum of History

Doan stated that further research would be conducted to provide more comprehensive information on the issues raised by the public.

Speaking with VietNamNet, Dr. Pham Quoc Quan confirmed that his team conducted thorough research on the displayed artifacts.

"The golden statues and sacred animals on display in this exhibition were assembled using resin and beeswax. We meticulously studied the dents, distortions, and color layers on the statues. These marks appear natural, not artificially induced. The statues have a patina that varies unevenly, a sign of age, rather than being artificially applied," Quan explained.

The research team, which includes renowned experts such as Associate Professor Dr. Ngo Van Doanh, Nguyen Ngoc Chat, and Dr. Nguyen Dinh Chien, spent a decade investigating these artifacts from multiple angles, including the artifacts themselves, their historical context, and analyses of the stones and adhesives used in the statues.

"It's unsettling to dismiss our efforts as fake based on a cursory glance through a glass case. This work is a collective effort. While this exhibition is not a 'final verdict,' we are continuing our research, but it's disheartening to see our work so easily dismissed," Quan concluded.

Tinh Le