Standardization and Diversity in Jar Coffins: Regional Variability in Central and Southern Vietnam

SUZUKI Tomomi

Jar-burial sites dating to the latter half of the first millennium BCE are widely distributed in Vietnam, extending from the north-central region to the eastern part of the southern region. However, scholars differ in their views on whether the jar burials in the north-central region and the eastern part of the southern region should be regarded as part of the Sa Huynh cultural sphere. This debate partly arises from the occurrence of artifacts associated with maritime exchange networks in Southeast Asia, including ornaments made of Taiwanese nephrite, glass, gold, and carnelian, as well as bronze mirrors and coins, which have been recovered from both central and southern sites. At sites along the coastal areas from Huế to Nha Trang, jar coffins can be classified into three types, and each site tends to contain only one or two of these types, suggesting a relatively standardized selection of jar forms. In contrast, south of Nha Trang, jar coffins show greater morphological diversity, including variation in surface treatment and decorative patterns. Differences are also observed in grave goods and burial practices. These patterns suggest that, although communities across these regions participated in maritime exchange networks, locally distinctive mortuary traditions developed, reflecting regional differences in social organization, group identity, and concepts of death.