Elephant statues unearthed in ancient Cham complex

27 July 2007 (Thanh Nien News) – Excavations at an ancient Cham complex in Quang Nam province have unearthed sandstone statuary, including two pieces depicting elephants.

Ancient relics found at Cham monuments in central Vietnam

Several relics dating back to the ninth century have been unearthed this week at an ancient Cham monument complex in Vietnam’s central Quang Nam province.

Archaeologists from the Quang Nam Center for Heritage and Relics Preservation found two elephant statues and one of a man on a horse, all made of sandstone and over a meter tall.

Some relief figures, consisting of shapes carved on a surface, and decorative objects were also found during the excavation that began two weeks ago at the Khuong My monument complex in Nui Thanh district.

Tran Anh, director of the center, said the search for antiques would continue on the site spread over 4,300 square meters for the next three months.

The excavations are being done as part of work to restore the sanctuary by year-end at a cost of VND8 billion (US$500,000).

The Cham, an Indic civilization, flourished between the 2nd and 17th centuries.

For books about the Cham, you might want to refer to:
– Southeast Asia: From Prehistory to History by P. S. Bellwood and I. Glover (Eds)
– The Art of Champa by J. Hubert
– Hindu-Buddhist Art Of Vietnam: Treasures From Champa by E. Guillon