VietNamNet Bridge – Jewellery items made of stone and animal bones have been unveiled in ancient tombs thousands of years old in the central province of Quang Nam.

They are pieces of jewelry of ancient Vietnamese people of the Dong Son culture (seventh century BC to first century AD), Sa Huynh culture (tenth century BC – second century AD), and the Oc Eo culture (1st century – seventh century AD).

Glass is considered the most common ingredient in bead manufacturing techniques of the ancient people in Quang Nam. Excavations at important relics in Hoi An, Dien Ban, Duy Xuyen ... have demonstrated that.

The ancient people also used agate, crystal, and nephrite to make necklaces.

These kinds of stone are very hard, so the processing techniques must be highly refined.

Scientists say the materials to make the jewelry may have been imported.

In the ancient time, Taiwan was one of the sources of supply of raw gems in Southeast Asia.

Also, precious stone beads in Sa Huynh culture may have been imported from India, China, Thailand ... in early AD.

Some jewelry items such as earrings and gold beads have been found in vase tombs at Go Mun and Lai Nghi archaeological sites ... revealing secrets of metallurgy of thousand years ago.

These jewelry items were unearthed in hundreds of vase tombs during excavations at over 50 archaeological sites in Quang Nam.

More than 8,600 glass beads in blue, yellow or brown, 1-3 mm in diameter, were found in Lai Nghi archaeological site in Dien Ban District, plus four gold earrings.

There are three special agate necklaces discovered in Lai Nghi: one bird-shaped, one tiger-shaped and one carved necklace. These items date back to the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. Archaeologists also found two bronze mirrors from China.

Van Anh