An exhibition of Vietnamese ceramicsspanning 1,000 years and several dynasties has opened at the Ho ChiMinh City Museum.

Ngan Nam Gom Viet (A Thousand Years of Vietnamese Ceramics) features260 artefacts that traces the development of national traditionalceramics during the reigns of the Ly, Tran, Earlier Le, Mac, Le TrungHung (Later Le), and Nguyen dynasties.

The Ly and Tran dynasties, who reigned from the 11th to 15th century,were famous for jade-glazed bowls and tea pots, and glaze ceramicsproduced in different shades including green, white and brown.

The traditional vocation flourishes to this day in the craft villagesof Bat Trang and Phu Lang in Hanoi and Bac Ninh province,respectively.

White-and-blue glazed ceramics having a high, brown base withunderglazed cobalt floral decorations were produced from the 15th to18th century during the Le dynasty as well as the Mac and Le Trung Hungdynasties.

The Nguyen dynasty in 19th and 20th century, the last of the feudalrulers in Vietnam , saw the development of Vietnamese ceramics insouthern region.

Lai Thieu in Binh Duong province, Bien Hoa in Dong Nai province andCay Mai in HCM City 's Cho Lon (Big Market) emerged as famouscentres of ceramic production.

The exhibition is being organised by the HCM City Museum, VietnamHistory Museum in HCM City , HCM City Fine Arts Museum, SouthernWomen's Museum, HCM City Antiques Association and private collectors tocelebrate the 1,000th anniversary of Hanoi./.