Discovered Tran Dynasty gold treasure at Yen Tu pagoda
A lotus-shaped treasure box from the Tran Dynasty was recently discovered in Dong Trieu District, Quang Ninh Province.
The place where this treasure was discovered is Suoi 1 area, An Sinh commune. The box was discovered by an excavator digging from the slope of a low hill. After discovering the precious box, monk Thich Quang Hien handed it over to the People's Committee of Dong Trieu district for management. According to scientists from the Citadel Research Center, the lotus-shaped treasure certainly dates back to the Tran Dynasty, around the 14th century. The name "lotus-shaped box" was given by researchers from the Citadel Research Center based on the simulation of 11 lotus-shaped mountains on the body of the box. According to Dr. Bui Minh Tri, Director of the Citadel Research Center, the box is divided into 2 parts: the lid and the body.
The total height of the box is 4.20 cm. The body is 2.84-3.20 cm high, the base is 0.60 cm high; the mouth diameter is 4.90 cm, the body diameter (largest part) is 5.10 cm, the base diameter is 3.50 cm. After inviting an expert to appraise the material and weigh it, the People's Committee of Dong Trieu District said that this box is made entirely of pure gold, weighing about 15.04 taels of gold. The entire box is also decorated with lotus petal patterns. All of this gives the box the appearance of a lotus flower in full bloom. In the middle of the box lid is a lotus platform that is very elaborately crafted with 4 layers of petals arranged in concentric circles. The outermost layer has 11 petals, the second layer has 33 petals, the third layer has 28 petals, and the innermost layer has 15 petals. In the center, the lid knob looks like a small lotus platform. Interspersed between the lotus petal layers are embossed lines and round dotted fringes like flower pistils, creating a very delicate embossment.
Exquisitely crafted precious box lid
But the most unique and special thing about this box is that inside all the lotus petals (from the lid to the stem) are engraved with 4-petal lemon flowers. Around the lemon flowers are soft branches and leaves, small circles to create a brocade background. The edges of each lotus petal are also decorated with very elaborate and beautiful soft leaf patterns. "They bear the mark of the Tran Dynasty, a glorious dynasty against foreign invaders in the history of Dai Viet," said Dr. Tri. According to research, "it is likely that this box was crafted by skilled goldsmiths in the Thang Long citadel," said Dr. Tri.
Experts also said that objects made of gold and silver discovered at historical archaeological sites in Northern Vietnam are not many, even very rare, the most common are objects made of ceramics.
Close-up of the lotus-shaped treasure box from the Tran Dynasty:
In the 60s of the 20th century, researchers discovered 5 gold discs decorated with leaf patterns in Hung Yen province. These gold discs have been studied by scientists and determined to be precious relics, belonging to the National Treasure of Vietnam and are currently preserved at the Hung Yen State Treasury, without the opportunity to display and promote to the public.
During the major excavations in 2002-2004 at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel relic site, a number of gold relics were also found, but they were all small fragments, and the specific shape of the objects could not be determined.
The lotus-shaped golden box recently discovered in Quang Ninh is an extremely important archaeological discovery, of great significance in the study of the history and culture of the Tran Dynasty. It is known that Dong Trieu is the place where the Tran Dynasty chose to build the tomb complex of the Tran Dynasty kings after 1320. "The lotus-shaped box that has just been discovered is an extremely valuable relic not only because it is made of gold but also because its shape and patterns are crafted very perfectly, exquisitely, and have high artistic value, demonstrating the class of this type of precious object used in the royal court", Mr. Tri assessed. According to this doctor, the lotus-shaped box is very worthy of being ranked as a national treasure of Vietnam.
Associate Professor, Dr. Tong Trung Tin, Director of the Institute of Archaeology, said that the gold artifacts from the Tran Dynasty are extremely rare. The total height of the body is 4.20 cm. The body is 2.84-3.20 cm high, the base is 0.60 cm high; the mouth diameter is 4.90 cm, the body diameter (largest part) is 5.10 cm, the base diameter is 3.50 cm.
According to Kienthuc-M
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