Preserving and promoting ceramic heritage from the nation's founding period

National cultural identity

The seminar "Identifying the value of Phung Nguyen, Hoa Loc, and Den Doi pottery from the nation's founding period" - organized by the Museum of Nation's Founding Ceramics (HCMC) in collaboration with the Vietnam Archaeological Association last weekend - focused on exchanging and discussing basic issues about ancient pottery.

Mr. Pham Dinh Phong, Deputy Director of the Department of Cultural Heritage, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Mr. Nguyen Van Kim, Vice Chairman of the National Cultural Heritage Council; Dr. Le Thi Thu Huong, Director of the Institute of Hanoi Studies and International Training - Hanoi Metropolitan University... together with experts from the Vietnam Archaeological Association, the Center for Conservation and Promotion of the Values of Historical and Cultural Relics of Ho Chi Minh City, the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of History... attended the discussion.

From the Phung Nguyen, Dong Dau, Go Mun to Dong Son cultures, ceramic artifacts are material evidence of the daily life, beliefs and arts of prehistoric residents. This is also an important source of information to study the process of forming national cultural identity.

According to experts, ceramic artifacts from the Phung Nguyen period in Phu Tho, Hoa Loc (Thanh Hoa) and Den Doi ( Nghe An ) are important sites, clearly reflecting the spiritual life, beliefs as well as ceramic making techniques in the early days of the nation's founding. Identifying the value of ceramics from this period contributes to clarifying the picture of prehistoric Vietnamese history and culture, and at the same time orienting the work of preserving and promoting heritage.

Dr. Le Thi Thu Huong stated that pottery is one of the important criteria when studying the material and spiritual life of the inhabitants of the nation-building period. The creativity and aesthetic thinking of the ancients are shown through the pottery products they made to serve their daily life and exchange with the inhabitants of the same period.

"Residents in different regions, at different periods, all create pottery that is characteristic of each community," Ms. Huong said.

Decorative patterns on ceramics not only enhance the beauty of the artifacts but also affirm the aesthetic thinking and creativity of the residents. Patterns on Phung Nguyen ceramics have reached the peak of techniques and methods of decorating ceramics in prehistoric times. This is the premise of bronze decoration art in Dong Son Culture later.

Seminar "Identifying the value of Phung Nguyen, Hoa Loc, and Den Doi pottery during the nation's founding period" organized by the Museum of Pottery during the nation's founding period in collaboration with the Vietnam Archaeological Association

Need for a synchronous management strategy

The collections of Dong Son Culture artifacts - the period of the Hung Kings - at the Museum of Ceramics during the period of nation building are a source of vivid material documents. These collections help the public to understand more deeply about the history, culture, science , aesthetics and the level of development of the life of ancient Vietnamese people.

The Museum of Ceramics of the nation's founding period also displays a number of collections of artifacts belonging to pre-Dong Son cultures (Phung Nguyen, Dong Dau, Go Mun...), Sa Huynh culture, and the early history of the Dong Nai river basin. In addition, there are collections of artifacts from the Champa culture in the Central and Central Highlands, and the Oc Eo culture in the South...

According to Mr. Hoang Anh Tuan, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of History, preserving and promoting the value of ceramic collections at the Museum of Ceramics from the time of national founding faces many difficulties and challenges.

"The humid tropical environment; limited infrastructure and preservation equipment, along with the lack of specialized human resources have been affecting the effectiveness of preserving artifacts. If there is no synchronous management strategy soon, the risk of damage and loss of heritage is possible" - Mr. Tuan worried.

Many insiders believe that preserving and promoting the value of ceramics from the nation’s founding period is not only the professional task of the archaeology or museum industry. It is also the responsibility of the whole society to protect and recreate the national cultural memory, creating a foundation for sustainable development in the future.

Archaeological experts suggest: "To preserve and promote ceramic heritage, it is necessary to soon invest in facilities and apply advanced technology; develop specialized human resources through interdisciplinary training and development; perfect the legal framework; expand international cooperation...".

Source: https://nld.com.vn/bao-ton-phat-huy-di-san-gom-thoi-dung-nuoc-196250831214311691.htm