via The Past, 17 September 2022: Editorial by Prof. Charles Higham about the visual history of social conlict reflected in Southeast Asia.
Imagine if the builders of Stonehenge had carved more than daggers and axe-heads on the stones there, or if the inhabitants of Skara Brae showed more artistic tendencies. Fortunately, in South-east Asia we are well served. Shizhaishan and Lijiashan are two royal cemeteries of the Dian Kingdom, located in the lakelands of Yunnan Province. The graves contain bronze vessels and drums embellished with tiny models of daily pursuits. One shows an elite woman borne aloft on a palanquin, entering a religious ceremony involving the sacrifice of a prisoner tied to a post awaiting his fate. Another leading woman, covered in gold, sits weaving while receiving offerings. A ruler astride his charger is seen finishing off an enemy foot soldier, while the head of another swings from his bridle. There are also house models, where you can see a riotous party in progress, a bullfight, a musical ensemble, and a meeting of chiefs being served a feast by the populace at large. It is rather like watching a newsreel of a chiefly society returned from oblivion by archaeology.
Moving down the Red River to the broad plains of northern Vietnam, we encounter the Dong Son chiefdom. Their capital, the great walled urban complex of Co Loa, dates to the 3rd century BC. One of the notable Dong Son drums unearthed there was decorated with scenes of daily life. We see a house raised on piles against the possibility of flooding. People are winnowing and grinding rice. A raised platform has four drummers aloft. Look at the drums and you can see that they vary in size. There are warriors with feathered headdresses brandishing spears, and a musical quartet. Other drums feature war vessels with archers readying their bows as they go into battle.
Source: Ancient newsreels | The Past
