Bronze Copper Alloy Dong Son Bell on a Fine Custom Stand, Vietnam, 500-200 BCE, (3382)

Description

Large or small or with a low or low pitch, bells throughout most of Asia shared religious preoccupation with rhythm, acoustic communication, and spiritual performance that bound together ancient communities across not only in the Red River Delta of Vietnam but also down coastal trade routes into Indonesia and southern China. As they were associated with nobility and often used in court ceremonies, they were also seen as symbols of status and power and were often found in the tombs of the rich.

Ancient bronze bells throughout Asia functioned primarily as sacred instruments used by shamans and elites during burial ceremonies, agricultural festivals, communal rituals to summon spirits, and a host of other purposes. Size and weight variations of these bells not only created a large variation of different sounds and tones, they were used in a huge variety of ways including being attached to elephants or water buffalo, and to act as signal of presence, movement, or warning.

The distinct, integrated, functional loop at the top allowed bells to be strung with different sized cords to ceremonial clothing, large or small animals, or suspended from wooden frames alongside larger bronze drums. Here, the inside clinger in many ancient bells was either very damaged or disintegrated when it was recovered. This one has been replaced with a very small Dong Son bell from the same time and is attached to the inside using a small piece of fishing line.