Gourd-shaped bottles like this one have been attributed to kilns from southern China to Vietnam. The kilns may ave been operated by southern Chinese artisans who relocated following China's invasion in 111 BCE of the Nam Viet kingdom (established in 207 BCE) in present-day Guangdong Province, Guangxi Province, and northern Vietnam China sought its neighbor's extensive natural resources such as forests, ores, pearls, and elephant ivory. But more importantly, the Nam Viet kingdom had access to the Red River delta and the harbor it provided to trading vessels from Indonesia, India, and Arabian Peninsula. Defying Chinese control, the Vietnamese continued to mount local rebellions and gained independence in 939.