Ancient city opens doors for millennial celebration
Thanh Nien News, 20 August 2010

An area studded with royal palace relics at Thang Long Royal Citadel will be opened to the public during Hanoi’s millennial anniversary in October.
The citadel became a UNESCO World Heritage Site early this month.

The site in question, referred to as the 18 Hoang Dieu archaeological site, contains traces of the palaces from the Ly, Tran and Le dynasties. The site is located at the heart of the citadel.

Unearthed artefacts handed to museum
Viet Nam News, 17 August 2010

More than 28,400 artefacts unearthed at six excavation sites in the Son La Hydro-electricity Plant reservoir have been handed over to the Dien Bien Museum.

The objects, unearthed by Viet Nam Archaeology Institute graduates, have been identified as being from the Palaeolithic era (around 20,000 years ago) to Neolithic (3,000-4,000 years ago). They were found at Huoi So, Tua Thang communes and Muong Lay town of Dien Bien District.

They include simple tools like stone pestles, mortars, and ceramic objects.

photo credit: daveyll

Exhibition links Thang Long, Ha Long together
VOV News, 13 August 2010

An exhibition depicting the close link between the ancient capital of Thang Long and Ha Long Bay over the past 1,000 years of history opened on August 12 in Tuan Chau international resort in the coastal city of Ha Long, Quang Ninh province.

The exhibition, co-organised by the Quang Ninh provincial Museum and Tuan Chau Group, is to mark the 65th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day (September 2) and in celebration of Hanoi’s millennial birthday.

2,500-year-old Sa Huynh artefacts found
Nhan Dan, 13 August 2010

Thousands of Sa Huynh Culture artefacts, some dating back to the fifth century BC, have been discovered at Phu Truong in Phan Thiet after three months of excavations.

The Vietnam History Museum and the Binh Thuan Province Culture, Sports and Tourism Department said on August 10 the finds comprise 10,000 pottery pieces, 83 stone artefacts, and 13 copper, iron, and crystal items.

The two pagodas are among 11 national and 27 city architectural relics that are seriously damaged, according to a report by the city’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The city has 54 monuments deemed national relics and 86 that have been recognised as relics by the city, including 26 national and 47 city architectural relics.

The report paints a bleak picture of restoration work, saying scores of national and city relics have been let go to ruin, with pagodas and temples accounting for a majority of these.

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Not long ago, domestic and foreign archeologists and students visited the relic often to study and carry out field research. Authorities said that it was difficult to move residents out of some sites because they had occupied the place before the relics were recognised as national or city relics.

Thang Long citadel nominated for World Heritage status
Thanh Nien News, 30 July 2010

Citadel named World Heritage Site
Viet Nam News, 02 August 2010

The Hoang Thanh Thang Long ( Thang Long Royal Citadel), Viet Nam’s historic capital, was recognised as a World Heritage by UNESCO at the meeting of its World Heritage Committee in Brazil yesterday.

The citadel was among the 32 sites, including 24 cultural and two natural-cultural heritage sites, newly recognised by the committee.

“This is a valuable gift and a very significant event for the Vietnamese people and the capital city of Ha Noi before its 1,000th anniversary in October,” said an official from the Ha Noi People’s Committee.

A group of six French specialists in history, archaeology, museum studies, urban studies and architecture had reported to the UNESCO committee: “We examined archaeological sites at No 18 Hoang Dieu Street, and we have come to the conclusion that this site represents world heritage value of the highest significance.”

Museum gives insight into Bronze Age culture
Viet Nam News, 10 July 2010

More than 600 ancient artefacts from Viet Nam and some other Asian countries are on display at an exhibition at the Can Tho Museum.

The relics, some 2,000 years old, are from collections held by museums and 60 individuals in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta region.

Some are on public display for the first time, including some Lao and Cambodian decorative objects and prayer objects in bronze, silver, stone, and baked clay.

Thousands of objects belonging to the Sa Huynh culture from 2,500-3,000 years ago have been discovered during excavations in the Ma Vuong Mound in Pho Thach commune, Duc Pho district, Quang Ngai province between June 17 and July 4 this year.

Head of the archaeologist team, Doan Ngoc Khoi, said that his group also found a porcelain Linga among earthen pots, vases, bowls and other porcelain and stone artefacts.

Ancient tomb site uncovered
Viet Nam News, 06 July 2010

Archaeologists working at a site in Ha Noi’s Dong Anh District have stumbled across 11 tombs dating back to the Phung Nguyen culture, days before they were about to wind up the dig.

The Phung Nguyen remains, the best-preserved of any found in and around the city, date back about 4,000 years, archaeologists from the Viet Nam Archaeology Institute said.

The tombs were discovered 1.5m below ground.

“All the tombs are of people who were living during the Phung Nguyen civilisation, date back 3,500 to 4,000 years,” said Lai Van Toi, PhD, who is in charge of excavating the site.

Gov’t puts $82 mil towards preserving historical site
Saigon Giai Phong, 23 June 2010

A plan to restore, preserve, and promote the Con Son – Kiep Bac historical relic site in the northern province of Hai Duong has received a government pledge of VND1.6 trillion (US$82 million).

Con Son pagoda, located in the wilderness between Phuong Hoang and Ky Lan mountains, includes a series of pagodas and temples that contain artifacts relating to famous historical, cultural and literary figures in Vietnam. Con Son located in Cong Hoa commune, Chi Linh District.