Dec 22, 2018

Cotu tomb house, Vietnam Museum of Ethnology

Cotu tomb house

This was made by Mr.Briu Nga (aged 36, Cotu people) in Alieng village, Quang Nam province. Its model was similar to the tomb house that he made for his father-in-law in 1996. The tomb house was brought to the Museum in December 2005.
This kind of tomb house is for rich and high-ranking people, and is made for the second funeral. On this occasion, the coffin is excavated and put on a big tree trunk which is elaborately carved. A bier carrying the corpse to the graveyard and aa shelf for offerings are also presented in this tomb house.
Sculptures of water buffalo heads represent a buffalo sacrifice in the funeral and are also symbols of property. Other figures such as varan, dragon, tring birds, fern leaves, moc leaves or sadly-sitting people are traditional decorations in Cotu tomb houses.

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