The Collection of Cổ Loa moulds include three-sectioned and two-sectioned moulds, with 11 artifacts, 10 of which are the moulds for casting three-barbed bronze arrows and one for casting bronze arrows with swallow wing-shaped heads. They are dated to  the Đông Sơn culture - early Iron Age, the third and second centuries BC. These are original, unique artifacts that have been known in Việt Nam to date. Moreover, this discovery also serves as convincing evidence for the indigenousness of the products which are called by a respected proper name: Cổ Loa bronze Arrows.

The Collection of Cổ Loa moulds also unique typical artifacts because of the talent and skills of the ancient Vietnamese bronze moulders as they chose fine, medium-sized sandstones for making mould sections. From a natural stone with a rough appearance, they sketchily formed the outer surface, and carefully and meticulously formed the inside with engraving, chiselling and sharpening techniques to create an accurate mould. These artifacts have special values, which are associated to a great national event in the historical period of the Âu Lạc state, in King An Dương period.

The inside, outside and drawing of the mould for casting three-barbed bronze arrows

Among the 10 mould sections for casting three-barbed bronze arrows, there are two outer mould sections smoothly polished with inscribed Han characters, which demonstrate that the Âu Lạc state in King An Dương period used Han characters to inscribe on important artifacts (moulds, bronze drums).

Mould section with Han characters found in 2005

Copy of Han characters on the mould section coded 05ĐT.H3.L4-3.F3: 1. One of the characters “臣” could be phonetically transcribed into “Thần” and temporarily deciphered as "Quan (mandarin)". The rest has been impossible to be deciphered.

Copy of Han characters on the mould section coded 05ĐT.H3.F3.L2: 49. The character "人" could be phonetically transcribed into "Nhân” and deciphered as "Người (Human)".

Swallow wing-shaped javelin mould

Illustration of the process of casting three-barbed bronze arrows by a three-sectioned mould

Cổ Loa crossbow triggers and  three-barbed bronze arrows

Storage of Cổ Loa bronze arrows found at Cầu Vực in 1959

The collection of Cổ Loa moulds, the furnace site, the three-barbed bronze arrows and their accompanied artifacts have made a great resonance attracting the attention of many scientists and tourists since their discoveries. With the discoveries of the storage of the Cổ Loa bronze arrows at  Cầu Vực in 1959 and the Cầu Vực bronze drum at Mả Tre in 1982, they are the three famous archaeological phenomena in Cổ Loa, which are all associated to one another, reflecting the two outstanding achievements of the Âu Lạc State, which are the economic, cultural, social development and defense against foreign invaders to firmly protect the infant state.

Thượng Temple - Cổ Loa site, the archaeological excavation site (2004 - 2007) where the traces of the metallurgical and bronze-casting furnace and the collection of the Cổ Loa moulds were discovered

Mả Tre site, where the Cổ Loa bronze drum I and ploughshares were found in 1959

Mả Tre site, where the Cổ Loa bronze drum I and ploughshares were found in 1982

The Cổ Loa moulds are the artifacts of special value related to the great national events, with King An Dương - the national hero, the founder of Âu Lạc state, the commander-in-chief of the Âu Lạc army and people to build the citadel, fight against the invaders and develop the national economy.

Bronze statue of King An Dương worshiped at the back altar of Thượng Temple, Cổ Loa. Date: 1897

MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT OF COLOA VESTIGE SITE