The Cham civilisation is an oft neglected part of the Vietnam travel experience. Most travellers will arrive in the country, as I did, with no knowledge of the Cham kingdom or its former glory.
Danang's Cham Museum brings together the most extensive collection of sculpture from the civilisation that occupied southern and central Vietnam up until the last remnants of territory were lost to the Viet kingdom in the early 19th century.
The Cham civilisation peaked in the 9th and 10th centuries during which time it was a rival of the Khmer kingdom based at Angkor in Cambodia. Bas reliefs at the Angkor temples depict battles between the Khmer and Cham people.
The southward movement of the Vietnamese people from their original base in the Red River Delta resulted in a gradual loss of Cham territory.
The Cham were a trade focused, seafaring people and ethnically distinct from the Vietnamese. They practiced Hinduism prior to a widespread adoption of Islam in the 15th century.
Ruins from the Cham civilisation are some of the oldest ruins still standing in Vietnam.
The Cham Museum dates back to the French colonial period and opened in 1919. The museum may be home to the best collection of Cham artefacts, but for the most part, only the most basic information is conveyed to visitors. It's a very worthwhile stop during your travels through Danang, but a disappointment in terms of information.
Travel tips.
The Danang Museum of Cham Sculpture is centrally located on the Danang waterfront around 30kms north of Hoi An.
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