Title
Oil lamp
Year/Period
Between 600 and 400 BC
Region
Northern Vietnam
Object Type
Material
Technique
Dimension
Object size: H:21.0 x L:14.0 x W:18.5
Accession No.
1997-02683
Collection of
This kneeling figure has an intriguing combination of stylised and realistic features. For example, he is depicted kneeling with an oil lamp supported on his lap, decorated with spiral armbands, a plaited headband and a knot of hair on the top of the head. His arms extend upwards into a framework presumably intended to support additional branches of the oil lamp. The sophisticated technology used in bronze-casting suggests Dong Son society was advanced enough to have specialists who would have worked full-time in this field. This can be seen in the spread of bronze goods and technology throughout the Southeast Asian region.
