The newly-recognized national treasures are a gold-star bronze drum from the Dong Son Culture that dates back 2,000 years ago and the gold-plated An Dan sword of Emperor Khai Dinh. These treasures are currently housed at the Vietnam National Museum of History in Hanoi.
Several artifacts at the Thang Long – Ha Noi Heritage Conservation Centre have also earned the national treasure title. These include a dragon decorated by the Bodhi-leaf roof tile, an architectural terracotta model from the Le So Dynasty, and a pair of stone dragons at the staircase of Thuong Temple from the Le Trung Hung Dynasty.
Another national treasure is the Kinh Hoa bronze jar that dates back to the 2nd-3rd century BC. This jar is part of collector Nguyen Van Kinh’s collection in Hanoi.
In addition, there are several national treasures in Da Nang city, including the Brahma My Son E1 Relief Sculpture, Shiva My Son statue, and Tra Kieu Apsara Relief Sculpture.
Other national treasures include sets of Khan Son ancient lithophone in Khanh Hoa province, a collection of golden artifacts from the Oc Eo Culture in Tra Vinh province, and a bas-relief of the Goddess Uma from the 9th-10th century in Bac Lieu province.
Since 2012, a total of 294 objects and groups of artifacts have been recognized as national treasures.
According to the Law on Cultural Heritage, national treasures are objects that have extremely precious, rare, and typical values in terms of history, culture, and/or science. They are original and have a unique appearance, with special value related to a significant event, national hero, or outstanding figure.
National treasures also include works of art that are famous for their ideological, humane, or aesthetic values that represent a trend, style, or era. Additionally, outstanding invented products that have high practical value and promote social development in a certain historical period can be considered national treasures. Natural items that demonstrate the formation and development of the earth or nature are also included in this category.
Investigating the Role of Sacred Animals in Vietnamese Tradition
On November 28, 2015 the Vietnam National Museum of History introduced to the public the newly opened exhibition themed “Vietnamese Sacred Animals”.