6 February 2007 (Vietnam Net Bridge) –

Discovery of underground remnants in Hoi An

The project to upgrade Hoi An’s ancient streets included many underground systems. Thus, every road in the project was dug up as deep as 2 m. Project construction works started in August 2006, right at the same time as a team of archeologists from Hanoi National University and Chieu Hoa University (Japan) excavated 3 sites in Hoi An: No. 16 on Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Road, No. 76/18 on Tran Phu Road and the area around Tran Quy Cap School.

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According to several research works, the history of the formation of Hoi An’s ancient quarters is linked to the Thu Bon Rivers’ alluvium depositing process to the south. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the northern bank of the Thu Bon River lied between the current Tran Phu Road and Nguyen Thai Hoc Road, 100 m away to the south of Ong Voi Temple. The wooden structure was found to be the same distance from Ong Voi Temple. Thus, it may have been erected on the northern bank of the Thu Bon River in the 17th century.

Also in front of No. 84 on Le Loi Road, Mr. Kikuchi Seiichi discovered 2,401 pieces of glazed terra-cotta, 2,624 pieces of china and 11 Chinese coins, as well as several Vietnamese and Hizen – Japanese pottery works. Other remnants included a brick water-escaping site with a sand and clay bottom, 30 cm wide and 22 cm deep. This site dates from the 17th century.