Bronze Dong Son Death Mask

Description

Bronze Death Mask – Dong Son Culture 500 BC to 300 AD

Region: Dong Son  Vietnam

Height: 15cm

Width: 12cm

This rarely found face of a man was cast during the Dong Son period of 500 BC to 300 AD. The cast has the broad face of a man with bulbous eyes, a broad nose, and slightly open mouth – and shows extensive erosion having been under the ground for many centuries. It was acquired several decades ago in Java along with many other ancient artefacts. It does not have provenance. Records show that in 2022 a similar Dong Son death mask was sold at the Drouot Group auction house (Paris) for 3,640 euros. The mask was from the collection of Paolo Bertuzzi (1943-2022), a fashion stylist from Bologna, Italy.

The Dong Son culture was a Bronze Age culture in ancient Vietnam centred at the Red River Valley of northern Vietnam from 1000 BC until the first century AD. Its influence spread to other parts of Southeast Asia, including Maritime Southeast Asia, throughout the first millennium BC. The culture long remained a mystery to western archaeologists, and it was known only through its bronze objects, many of which were taken from burial sites. Dong Son bronze objects were exhibited in Europe for a century before their original location was even determined.

Before the arrival of the Hindu/Buddhist cultures in Indonesia, there was a period of pre-history. Not much is known about the culture of this time except that many artefacts are from Dong Son. It was a bronze age culture and their skill in casting is best demonstrated by the bronze drums which are dated as being from about 600 BC. As well as drums castings were of axes, daggers, spears, rings and small animals.