A COPPER ALLOY 'TWIN FISH' BASIN, DONG SON CULTURE Vietnam, circa 1^st-2^nd century AD. The deep sides rising to a broad everted rim, decorated with three ribs and two crown-shaped motifs to the sides and twin fishes to the interior. Two small loops for attachment at the foot, the base with a star shaped design within a circle.

Provenance: From an old European collection.
Condition: Some repair and touchups as generally expected from ancient Dong Son excavations. Losses, fissures, erosion, corrosion, and encrustations. Minor casting flaws. Overall, still very good condition, especially for such a large piece. Fine, naturally grown patina with malachite-green encrustations.

Weight: 3,078 g
Dimensions: Diameter 39 cm

Dong Son (named for Dong Son, a village in Thanh Hoa, Vietnam) was a Bronze Age culture in ancient Vietnam centered in the Red River Valley of northern Vietnam from 1000 BC until the first century AD. Vietnamese historians attribute it to the states of Van Lang and Au Lac. Its influence spread to other parts of 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 objects were exhibited in Europe for a century before their original location was even determined, and several theories and speculations over the dating methodologies of the culture continue to this day.

Expert's note: The star design to the center of the base appears to be a pet motif of the Dong Son culture, commonly appearing on the famous bronze drums of this culture, including the one in this sale, no. 266.

Literature comparison:
Compare a related copper alloy basin, dated circa 1^st-2^nd century AD, in the collection of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, accession number M.2003.226.4.



東山文化雙魚銅盆
越南，約一至二世紀。折沿，外壁中央有三道弦紋，平底三小足。外壁有兩個冠形圖案，盆内有雙魚紋，底足有雙圈内八角星紋。

來源：歐洲私人舊藏。
品相：有修復痕跡，與東山文化考古挖掘的預期一致。缺損、裂縫、侵蝕、腐蝕和結殼，輕微的鑄造缺陷。狀態基本良好，包漿細膩，有綠色皮殼。

重量：3,078 克
尺寸：直徑 39 厘米

東山文化是位於越南北部紅河河谷的一個鐵器時代史前文化。它約繁盛於公元前1000年到公元一世紀，它影響的區域包括東南亞其他地區乃至以及印度-馬來亞群島。對於西方考古學家來說，這個文化長期以來一直是個謎，只有通過青銅器才知道它，其中許多青銅器是從墓地挖掘出來的。東山物品在其原始位置確定之前在歐洲展出了一個世紀，關於該文化的年代測定方法的一些理論和推測一直持續到今天。東山文化最突出的文化遺產是東山銅鼓等青銅器製品，它們在東南亞和今中國南部的廣大地區都有發現。

專家注釋：底座中央的星形圖案似乎是東山文化的特有的圖案，通常出現在該文化的青銅鼓上，包括本次拍賣的A MASSIVE BRONZE RAIN DRUM, DONG SON CULTURE，拍品編號266。

文獻比較：
比較一件相近的公元一至二世紀銅合金盆，收藏於洛杉磯藝術博物館，編號M.2003.226.4。