Co Loa with thousands of crossbows

Archaeological discoveries of Co Loa's arrows show many interesting things about ancient Vietnamese people.

Women's general foot ring (Photo: TTO)

Co Loa metropolis was once the capital of many dynasties: From An Duong Vuong with the name of Au Lac (273 BC), to Trieu Da (206 BC), with the name Dai Viet, then Ngo Rights (933). These kings have left on Vietnam's history majestic pages, expressing their will to strengthen the nation's autonomy.

Co Loa also imbued with the unjust love of Trong Thuy and My Chau, dazzling the myth of Kim Quy magic crossbow reflecting a powerful martial art. These myths have faded somewhat over time, but have recently been brightly lit by the excavations of archaeologists, thousands of Co Loa arrows. The large number of these arrows has raised many questions from the past few decades that are now only partially answered.

Origin of Co Loa copper arrows

When analyzing, with modern physical methods, arrows and archival objects in Hanoi Archaeological Institute - similar to artifacts on photographs taken from the Museum of Private History and Exhibition Van - Ho's personality - thanks to the kindness of Prof. Ha Van Tan, saw arrows containing metal components similar to Dong Son drum elements, including Ngoc Lu bronze drum.

Co Loa crossbow (Photo: TTO)

The main elements found are copper, lead, and tin. Especially without zinc. Similar results were found in the female anklets that dug in the surrounding areas, much different from copper mirrors, many of which contained only copper elements.

When meticulously compared with the results of elemental analysis, including the minor elements that are smaller than one percent of copper arrows with artifacts and ore in different geographical regions, it is found that copper names are native products.

Metallurgical techniques of copper arrows

Particularly in copper arrows, iron elements were found. The presence of iron in arrows indicates that the ancient Vietnamese knew metallurgy contained an element that had a melting temperature of over 1,500 ^o C. Their purpose was to make strong, easy-to-pierce arrows. deep into the goal. Metallurgical techniques during the ancient Vietnam have been noticed by the world for a century if we base them on the articles they publish in professional journals.

Thousands of arrows of Co Loa ( Photo: TTO)

Advanced metallurgical techniques in ancient Vietnam also found in female daggers that physical analysis methods have found the element titanium. The ancient Vietnamese probably did not know exactly this element but the metallurgist met to know that the ore contained some element that would later be called titanium in the twentieth century, which would give a hard and light alloy, suitable for female general's hand.

Facing such technical event, we cannot fail to admire and admire the thinking and technical level of the ancient Vietnamese metallurgical artists.

Division arm crossbow in force

The large number of copper arrows found allows us to assert that in the ancient Vietnam era, Co Loa had a military force divided into sub-radiation groups consisting of many cross-arms, if we were based on the Co Loa crossbow that archaeologists have recently found.

These crossbows are sophisticated and smaller than the crossbows found in the uplands, where the Muong or many other ethnic groups reside. At that time in the North, people often used the bow while the Vietnamese people used the crossbow.

Bronze mirror and dagger female general (Photo: TTO)

Are these crossbows very marksmanship, because they have caused an impressive fear in the enemy, like magic crossbows, but Kim Quy crossbow is just a myth.

The way to shoot crossbows has existed for many centuries in Co Loa area, sometimes used in the main army, sometimes in opposing forces, as we know, more than ten centuries after An Duong Vuong, King Ngo Xuong Van - one of two brothers who succeeded Ngo Quyen, died in 965 AD, because of an arrow, also near Co Loa, the capital of that time.

The Co Loa crossbones are also found in copper alloys. When turned on - once the trigger just plays an arrow. Although these crossbows are not from An Duong Vuong's crossbow but also help to clarify the myth of the crossbow god. This structure of application makes lightening of the guilt of Mỵ Châu. Although the country of Au Lac was submerged over time through the bitter love affair of My Chau - Trong Thuy, but did not forget the fact that Co Loa was the capital of a large, high-tech country, including Military techniques, including human and human aspects.

According to Prof. Dr. PHAM VAN HUONG