Hidden treasures: Historian Nguyen Lan Cuong (centre) and archaeologists work on newly-found Dong Dau artifacts in Vinh Phuc Province. – Photo vinhphuc.gov.vn

VINH PHUC (VNS)— Archaeologists at Dong Dau archaeological site in the northern province of Vinh Phuc have made a key discovery of a grave containing remains and many valuable artefacts, according to History PhD Nguyen Lan Cuong, deputy general secretary of the Viet Nam Archaeology Association.

Researchers from the association, together with those from the History Faculty of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities and the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, carried out an excavation on a 25sq.m area from December until early this month.

At 3m deep, they found the bones of a man who was about 1.6m tall. The skeleton are nearly intact, except for the left thigh bone which was missing. His teeth were dyed black, while two upper and four lower teeth had been pulled out. Cuong believed the man had followed the Phung Nguyen culture custom of extracting front teeth which he belonged to, as archaeologists haven't found the similar custom in any other cultures.

"That's the important reason to affirm that the unearthed man lived in the Phung Nguyen culture, about 3,500 years ago," Cuong told Viet Nam News.

Scientists will cover the bones with wood and plaster, then bring the Phung Nguyen man to the Vinh Phuc Museum for further research.

When restoration and research finish, the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism will ask specialists who work at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum to preserve the remains and display him at the provincial museum, creating a chance for people and researchers to meet the ancient man.

Many other artefacts such as stone axes and graters, bronze arrows, ceramics and jewellery made of stone, animal horns and bones were also found during this evacuation. Scientists dated them back to the Dong Dau, Go Mun, Phung Nguyen and Dong Son cultures.

In Phung Nguyen culture, stone hand tools and weapons were improved remarkably in terms of both quantity and variety. Pottery also reached a higher level of technique and decorative style. In Dong Dau and Go Mun cultures, bronze replaced stone for about 40 per cent of edged tools and weapons, rising to roughly 60 per cent in the Go Mun culture. Meanwhile, the Dong Son culture was believed to prevail during the formation period of the Vietnamese nation. This period is closely identifiable with Van Lang, the first kingdom of Viet Nam, and the 18 Hung Kings which founded it.

Archaeologists remarked that Dong Dau relic discovery in Vinh Phuc Province is one of the richest in the country, where numerous artefacts of the four cultures during the time of the Hung Kings have been found.

Based on their findings, archaeologists thought the eastern area of the Dong Dau archaeological site was the home of ancient Vietnamese people, while most of the tombs were found in the southwestern area.

The site was discovered in 1962 and this marks the seventh time it has been excavated.

"Artefacts and historical evidents found here become an important historical source in the begining of the country's history," Cuong said, adding that the existence of four cultures in the region proved the development of the Hong (Red) River Delta civilisation".

"Then, residents of the Hong River Delta civilisation together with Ma and Ca river civilisations built up Van Lang Kingdom." — VNS