 The ancient Sa Huỳnh culture of present-day central Vietnam is known for the quantities of iron objects and decorative items made from glass, semi-precious and precious stones such as agate, carnelian, rock crystal, amethyst, and nephrite.The Sa Huỳnh, who maintained an extensive trade network were most likely the predecessors of the Cham people.The Cham people, who for over one thousand years settled in, controlled and civilized central and southern coastal Vietnam from around the 2nd century CE are of Austronesian origin.