VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese scientists have discovered a citadel of the ancient Kingdom of Champa located deep underground in the central province of Quang Nam.

 

 

A piece of the wall of the ancient citadel.  

After more than half a month of excavation on an area of 300 m2 in the village of Vien Thanh, in Duy Trung commune, Duy Xuyen district, archaeologists of the Southern Region Academy of Sciences and the Showa Women's University, Japan, discovered the vestige of an ancient citadel of the Champa Kingdom.

Mr. Dang Ngoc Kinh, head of the excavation team, says that in an excavated hole of 20 m long, 2 m wide and at a depth of about 50-60 cm, archaeologists discovered a piece of wall of an ancient citadel. The citadel wall was built by brick, 1.5 m to 1.6 m wide; between the bricks is clay.

According to initial measurement, scientists define that the surface of the citadel was made by clay. The surface structure is built with very high technics; the walls are intact.

Archaeologists also found a Kendi (a water jub with tap that is used in ceremony) and broken tiles and bricks.

They say that this is the citadel of the ancient Cham people; particularly it is the wall surrounding the capital Sinhapura of the Kingdom of Champa (now Tra Kieu). This ancient citadel was built in the 4th - 5th century.

Nam Nguyen