Ha Giang Provincial Museum receives Lo Lo bronze drum found in Lung Cu

BHG - The Ha Giang Provincial Museum has officially received a Lo Lo bronze drum discovered in Lung Cu Commune, Dong Van District, for scientific research, preservation, and display purposes.

On April 6, around 12pm, during excavation work for a construction project, Vang Di Pho (born in 1992) of Lo Lo Chai Village in Lung Cu Commune unearthed a bronze drum at a depth of approximately 40 cm. He promptly reported the find to local authorities and handed the drum over to the Lung Cu Commune Police for safekeeping.

A representative of the Lung Cu Commune authorities hands over the bronze drum to the Provincial Museum.

The drum features a round face with a diameter of 49.5 cm, stands 26.5 cm tall, and weighs 14.5 kg. It has a balanced structure with a central star comprising 12 evenly spaced, slender rays. Surrounding the star are ten decorative concentric bands separated by raised ridges. Classified as an intermediary drum between types HI and IV (according to Heger’s classification), it dates back to the 11th–14th centuries and resembles other drums previously found in Ha Giang Province.

The drum remains relatively intact, though prolonged burial has caused parts of its surface to oxidise, rust, and suffer cracks and fractures at the base, obscuring some decorative details.

Experts identify it as a Lo Lo bronze drum based on the discovery site and the drum’s stylistic and decorative features. In the Lo Lo community’s spiritual and cultural life, bronze drums hold great significance, used in rituals to honour ancestors, announce funerals, welcome guests, and summon spirits. The Lo Lo regard the bronze drum as a sacred instrument, symbolising the universe and deifying human existence through its form and sound. The drum sets the rhythm for traditional dances and guides the spirits of the deceased back to their ancestors.

QUANG CHUNG