via VNA net, 19 March 2024: The Bac Son Arc in Lang Son Geopark, established in December 2021, harbors significant archaeological, historical, and geological treasures, highlighted by the recent discovery of Neolithic remains in Bat Cave, reflecting the rich Bac Son culture. With over 600 artifacts unearthed, the site underscores the area’s potential for UNESCO Global Geopark status, aiming to blend cultural heritage with sustainable tourism development.
Lang Son Geopark, located on the arc of the Bac Son limestone mountains, was established on December 13, 2021 according to Decision No. 2424/QD-UBND of Lang Son Province. By the end of November 2022, the Institute of Archaeology (under the Vietnamese Academy of Social Sciences) in collaboration with the Lang Son Province Museum conducted excavations at Doi (Bat) Cave in Kha Ha Village, Vu Le Commune, Bac Son District and published the news of discovering the remains of a young child buried in a fetal position with knees bent which is part of the Bac Son culture (Neolithic period).
According to Dr. Pham Thanh Son from the Institute of Archaeology, on the same night when the burial of the child was discovered, an elder in the area held up his hand and pointed to the mountains, saying, “The revelation of this special artifact is a good omen for the local people”.
Dr. Pham Thanh Son further explained that during the excavation at Bat Cave, they collected over 600 artifacts bearing characteristic traces of the Bac Son culture, such as stone tools, polished axes, hoes, pottery, ceramics, and traces of burial sites. Through the study of these artifacts, Bat Cave is said to belong to the Bac Son culture, dating back 10,000 to 7,000 years. “This becomes even more significant in the context when Lang Son Province is making great efforts to develop a dossier to request UNESCO to recognize the Bac Son limestone mountains and valley as a global geopark,” emphasized Dr. Pham Thanh Son.
