The Dragon Motif Continuum: A Hypothesis on the Cham Martaban Jars and Their Socio-Cultural Legacy in Southern Vietnam (15th - 20th Centuries)

PHẠM Ngọc Uyên1* and HOÀNG Anh Tuấn2

This paper investigates the socio-cultural trajectory and regional distribution of the 15th – 16th century Cham “dragon” Martaban jars within the Indo-Pacific maritime networks. While existing scholarship predominantly focuses on the production techniques of Gò Sành kilns during the 15th to 16th centuries, this study adopts a multidisciplinary approach integrating historical analysis, iconography, and ethnoarchaeology to examine the “post-production” life of these vessels. The research identifies the Cham dragon motif as a strategic “local innovation”, a stylistic synthesis designed to compete within the global ceramic economy. Beyond their role as maritime commodities, these jars underwent a process of “sacralization” as they moved inland, becoming essential ritual heirlooms among indigenous communities in the Central Highlands and Southern Vietnam. Central to this study is a proposed hypothesis of historical continuity, suggesting that the Cham dragon prototype established a long-term market standard that influenced later ceramic production. Preliminary morphological comparisons indicate that 19th – 20th century kilns in Southern Vietnam, specifically Lái Thiêu, likely reproduced these forms to meet persistent indigenous demands. To support this framework, the paper proposes a Digital Documentation initiative, utilizing high-resolution archiving to facilitate cross-temporal stylistic analysis. By tracing these “cultural nodes”, the study demonstrates the resilience of Cham aesthetic legacy and its role in bridging local belief systems with expansive maritime trade networks.