Nine items, closely related to the development of Vietnam from the Ly dynasty (1009-1225) to the Nguyen dynasty (1802-1945), have been recognised as national treasures. Insight by the Government Portal.

1. The Canh Thinh bronze drum (the Tay Son era 1778 – 1802) is kept at the Vietnam National Museum of History in Hanoi. The drum, made in 1800, with 0.49 metres in diameter and 0.37 metres in height, has the clearest and most explicit identity ever. It was made under the Tay Son dynasty, the casting techniques of which seemed already lost. The inscriptions on the drumhead describing details about the casting circumstances of that Tay Son era are a rare and valuable historical source.

2. The Mon Ha Sanh bronze royal stamp (the Tran dynasty 1226 – 1400) is stored at the Vietnam National Museum of History in Hanoi. The stamp was made in 1377, 8.5 centimetres high, 7 centimetres long and 7 centimetres wide. It is the only current known stamp of the Tran dynasty, and has clear contents and specific date, serving as an evidence of the central administrative organisation of the Tran dynasty.

3. The blue-and-white pottery vase with swan patterns (1428 – 1527 era), is preserved at the Vietnam National Museum of History in Hanoi. The vase, made in the Le dynasty and measuring 56.5 centimetres in height, was produced at Chu Dau pottery village, northern Hai Duong province. It is the largest pottery object in terms of size in the exclusive collection recovered from Cu Lao Cham shipwreck. It features the pinnacle of the techniques and the art of pottery in the Le dynasty.

4. The Nine Cauldrons (the Nguyen dynasty 1802 – 1945) is a set of bronze censers, vessels used for burning incense, in central Hue imperial citadel. The censers are different from each other, symbolising the difference in the personality of the nine emperors of the dynasty. The set, currently kept at the Hue Royal Antiquities Museum, was made from 1835-1837.

5. Vinh Lang Lam Kinh stele (the Le dynasty) is stored in the Lam Kinh relic site, Tho Xuan district, central Thanh Hoa province. The stele forms a crucial part of the tomb of King Le Thai To though lying around 300 metres southwest of the tomb. It is 2.79 metres tall, 1.94 metres wide and 0.27 metres thick.
6. The stone dragon (the Ly dynasty) is currently stored at Le Van Thinh temple, Gia Binh district, northern Bac Ninh province. It was found in the residence of Le Van Thinh Great Tutor, the first doctoral laureate of the Ly dynasty in 1075.

7. The statue of Queen Trinh Thi Ngoc Truc (the Le dynasty) is stored at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum. Queen Truc is a fervent Buddhist. In the 1640s, she endowed fields and money to rebuild the But Thap Temple. She was concerned about the problems of education at that time.

8. A set of enameled ceramic incense burner and candlesticks (the Mac dynasty) is now kept at the museum of northern Nam Dinh province. The burner is 17 centimetres in diameter and 76 centimetres in height. The set is decorated with patterns of dragon, phoenix, lotus, and Chinese characters.

9. A copper cauldron (the Le dynasty) is currently stored at the museum of central Thanh Hoa province. The cauldron, found in 1981, is 79.8 centimetres tall and 134.4 centimetres in diameter. It was casted in 1952. It is considered the biggest undamaged cauldron in Vietnam.-VNA