Classy crown: A king's hat decorated with gold and gemstone details (top) and a hairpin made from gold bearing a phoenix keeping a lantern in its mouth (below) are among ancient jewellery items on display at the exhibition. — VNS Photos Thai Ha

HA NOI (VNS)— The splendid jewellery of the upper class as well as modest grassroots objects are featured at an exhibition of ancient jewellery, opened yesterday in Ha Noi's Viet Nam National Museum of History.

The exhibition displays about 100 original, rare and valuable items dating from the prehistoric age to Nguyen dynasty (1802-1945) aimed at introducing the Vietnamese people's aesthetic sense and their talent in manipulating jewellery.

Items on display include earrings, necklaces, chains, bracelets, tiara and hairpins made from gold, gem, silver, ivory, stone and glass.

"Through the exhibition, we expect that visitors will understand more about the history and cultural value of the jewellery," said Nguyen Dinh Chien, deputy director of the museum.

"People didn't use jewellery as decorative objects only but also as a mean to express power and position in the society.

"For example, a hairpin made from gold bearing a phoenix keeping a lantern in its mouth belonged to a patrician woman of the 18th century, because the phoenix symbolises elegance, women's power and grace in feudal times. The hairpin is part of the royal jewellery collection of the museum."

The exhibition also presents many kinds of men's jewellery, such as a crown, tablet and gem chains.

It will run until the end of this year at the museum, 1 Trang Tien Street, Ha Noi. — VNS