VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese archaeologists have discovered 23 tombs and antiques dating back 3,000 years ago at the Dong Ba Hoe (Lady Hoe’s Cave), an archaeological site in the central province of Binh Thuan.

A representative of the Binh Thuan Province Museum said yesterday that the 23 graves belonged to the pre-Sa Huynh culture (about 2,500 to 3,000 years ago).

The discovery of the ancient tombs is the result of a month-long excavation conducted by the local museum and the National History Museum at Dong Ba Hoe in Ham Duc commune, Ham Thuan Bac district, Binh Thuan.

Besides the tombs, scientists also found many ancient working tools such as stone axes, rudimentary grinding tables, and ceramic cups about 25 cm high, decorated with rope patterns and other things.

Archaeologist Truong Dac Chien from the National History Museum said this was a very new discovery that reveals the development from the pre-Sa Huynh to Sa Huy culture.

Scientists are still working at the site. A full report of the excavation will be released soon.

Dong Ba Hoe archeological site was discovered for the first time in 1920 when the French built Highway 1 across Binh Thuan province. 

The Sa Huynh culture was a culture in modern-day central and southern Vietnam that flourished between 1000 BC and 200 AD. 

Archaeological sites from the culture have been discovered from the Mekong Delta to Quang Binh province in central Vietnam. The Sa Huynh people were most likely the predecessors of the Cham people, an Austronesian-speaking people and the founders of the kingdom of Champa.

The site at Sa Huynh was discovered in 1909. Sa Huynh sites were rich in locally worked iron artefacts, typified by axes, swords, spearheads, knives and sickles. 

The Sa Huynh culture cremated adults and buried them in jars covered with lids, a practice unique to the culture. Ritually broken offerings usually accompanied the jar burials. The culture is also typified by its unique ear ornaments featuring two-headed animals. The ornaments were commonly made from jade (nephrite), but also made from glass. Bead ornaments were also commonly found in Sa Huynh burials, most commonly made from glass.

The Sa Huynh culture showed evidence of an extensive trade network. Sa Huynh beads were made from glass, carnelian, agate, olivine, zircon, gold and garnet; most of these materials were not local to the region, and were most likely imported. 

Some pictures at the Dong Ba Hoe archeological site:

Thanh Van