Archived News

	Web MuiNeBeach.net

Thousands of Ancient Sa Huynh Relics Discovered in Phan Thiet

26.08.10 Thousands of Sa Huynh Culture artefacts dating back to the 5th Century BC have been discovered at Phu Truong in Phan Thiet City after three months of excavations.

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

Pottery covered in floral patterns is a recurring theme. Archaeologists from the Vietnam History Museum and the Binh Thuan Antiquities department carried out the excavations and Nguyen Xuan Ly, director of the antiquities department, said the finds are between 2,000 and 2,500 years old.

Phu Truong (Phan Thiet) is now recognized as one of the country's most important archaeological sites for Sa Huynh Culture relics, along with Doc Chua in southern Binh Duong Province and Chinh Spring in central Quang Ngai Province.

The Sa Huynh Culture thrived in central and southern Vietnam between 1,000 BC and AD 200, leaving behind artifacts like iron axes, swords, fine jewelry and knives inside burial jars. The Sa Huynh culture (named by archaeologists after the first village where relics were discovered in Quang Ngai Province) is thought to be the predecessor of the Champa kingdom. This find helps establish Phan Thiet, a major port city of the ancient Champa Empire, as one of the longest-continuously inhabited cities in Vietnam (sorry Hanoi...).

Sadly, Binh Thuan Province still has no history museum, so the fate of these relics is unclear, as none are available for public viewing.

Read more about archaeology and antiquities in Binh Thuan Province here.

More Temple Ruins & Green Peafowl Discovered

23.05.10 On a recent expedition Adam Bray, a resident travel writer and freelance journalist, has located yet another undocumented set of ancient temple ruins. It is unclear whether the remains are from the Champa or earlier Funan Kingdoms. Stories of ghosts and monsters associated with this temple are recounted by families living nearby the ruins. Two foundation holes are visible in the sand, with red bricks strewn about. Villagers living in the surrounding area say that the temple ruins were desecrated and robbed several times from 1992-1995. The man responsible is a notorious tomb raider who has molested archaeological sites throughout the area. Villagers claim he carried off cartloads of statuary, steles with inscriptions, and gold artifacts dug from underneath the ruins.

In the process of locating the temples, Adam also may have stumbled upon a previously unknown population of green peafowl. These endangered birds are highly significant because they were previously only known to be located in Dak Lak (Yuk Don National Park) and Dong Nai (Cat Tien National Park) Provinces.

Both finds lend credence to the fact that Binh Thuan Province needs a well-managed National Park system to preserve these national treasures which currently have no protection and are under immanent threat.

Adam Bray Discovers Second Ancient Cham Temple in One Week

01.04.10 A second ancient Cham Temple site was discovered this weekend in Binh Thuan Province by resident travel writer, Adam Bray, while exploring the countryside. The temple sits on a mound in the middle of crop fields, and appears to support the remains of 4 structures, thought to have once been towers. The largest of the 4 still has 3 standing walls, though they are hidden among trees and vines. Weathered red bricks lay scattered about, along with the lintel of the temple entrance, though no statuary or decorative elements are immediately visible.

Adam Bray and a friend found another temple site buried in the jungle earlier in the week (see "New Discovery of Ancient Cham Tower by Resident Guidebook Writer" below), also in the general vicinity. Even more astonishing, locals have suggested a third undocumented temple site is also located in the area, though Mr. Bray did not have time to investigate yet. The discovery of several ancient Cham sites in the same locality in Binh Thuan Province is an exciting development because the Champa kingdom was not known to have large settlements in the area. Other temple sites, such as Thap Po Sha Nu, Thap Po Dam, and the recently-discovered temple at Thuan Hoa (see "Another Ancient Cham Temple Discovered in Binh Thuan Province" below), all date from the 8th-9th centuries. If these new temples also date from the same time period, it suggests a much more significant settlement at that period than previously though, and could change our understanding of Cham history overall.

Possible lintel to the entrance of the temple ruins

Read more about Binh Thuan Province Antiquities and Cham temple ruins.

Another Ancient Cham Temple Discovered in Binh Thuan Province

06.10.09 Early this past summer, the Binh Thuan Antiquities Department excavated the foundation of a [relatively] recently-discovered ancient Cham temple ruins in Dan Hoa village, Thuan Hoa commune, Ham Thuan Bac district. The main body of the tower had almost completely collapsed, but 1.2m of the foundation remained, mostly buried under the soil. Local officials determined the structure to be from the 9th century, based on the style of foundation, bricks and un-named decorative elements.

The tower is located adjacent to a village of Nop (pronounced "nub"), a little-known local minority group that is not officially recognized by the government. Villages of Rai, another unrecognized minority group native (perhaps exclusive) to Binh Thuan, are also located in the area. (By unrecognized we mean not granted special status as an independent and unique ethnic group).

Villagers stated that they have known about the tower ruins for quite some time but left it relatively undisturbed, for fear of offending the spirits of the temple. They said that tomb robbers (most likely ethnic Vietnamese living in the nearby town of Ma Lam) desecrated the site about 2 years ago, at which time authorities took note and then determined to excavate the site this year. The excavation lasted for about 1 month, according to villagers.

The site is unkempt and has grown over with vines and shrubs since. It is now difficult to see the ruins. We feel it would be prudent for the government and surrounding minority villages to take pride in the site and develop it as a tourist attraction. In conjunction with cultural displays from the surrounding Cham, Rai, Nop and K'ho villages, it could be a formidable attraction--rivaling the very best that Sapa or Kon Tum has to offer in regard to minority culture. At present the potential is being squandered.

Read more about Binh Thuan Province Antiquities and Cham temple ruins.

New Discovery of Ancient Cham Tower by Resident Guidebook Writer

29.09.09 Yesterday amidst the wind and rain of the typhoon currently pounding the Vietnam coast, resident travel writer Adam Bray and a friend made an amazing discovery. On the way home from a long trip through the countryside, they stopped in a remote forested area for a break, and stumbled upon an unusual mound, camouflaged by trees and vines. Noticing a few old red bricks scattered on the ground, they climbed to the top of the mound for a better look. Wading through tall shrubs and thorny vines, they discovered a series of four shafts, 15 to 20 feet deep, lined with brick walls, descending into the ground.

The ancient red-brick walls of the buried towers were tell-tale signs that the two had discovered a previously unknown temple complex, attributed to the ancient Champa Empire. The Cham once dominated most of south and central Vietnam, and were contemporary adversaries of the Kingdom of Angkor in Cambodia. Today the Cham now heavily populate Binh Thuan and Ninh Thuan Provinces of south-central Vietnam, with a thriving matriarchal, Hindu-descended culture. They are known for their beautiful hand-woven textiles, pottery made on a stationary wheel (the craftswomen circles the table, walking backwards as they work) , the white robes, turban and red tassels worn by Cham men, and bizarre burial rituals that include exhuming a corpse on the anniversary of death.

The location and arrangement of the temples is highly unusual. Rather than being located on a hilltop facing the sea or a river, the towers are buried underground, in a remote area that is currently difficult to access. The towers are also packed tightly together, and may even form a single structure with multiple chambers. It's not possible yet to know precisely how old the towers are. However, if comparing the other temples here in Binh Thuan Province, including those found at Phu Hai (8th Century), Lien Huong (8th-9th Century) and the newly discovered temple at Thuan Hoa (9th Century), an age of 1100-1300 years is plausible. To unlock the temples secrets, and discern which god-king or goddess they were built to worship, the temples will need to be fully excavated and researched. For now, we've decided to nickname them "Thap Po A'dam-Hung."

Read more about Binh Thuan Province Antiquities and Cham temple ruins.

Phan Thiet’s OTHER Cham Temple
Under Threat

30.07.10 While everyone knows about Thap Po Shanu, the obvious Cham temple in Phu Hai that overlooks Phan Thiet City, nobody seems to be aware of the Cham ruins at Kim Binh, a small village just on the edge of the city in Ham Thang District. This is perhaps no wonder, since nothing has been done to study or protect them.

A large Buddhist pagoda has recently been constructed on one corner of the ruins. New Vietnamese grave boxes and lattices of squash vines are perched on another end, and dragon fruit cactus on the back portion. No care has been afforded the ruins whatsoever, which is surprising, given the large piles of bricks and pottery strewn about—indications that relics are still likely hidden underneath the piles. There are no free-standing walls visible, but there could be intact temple-tower foundations under the rubble. If of similar age to other ruins in the area, those at Kim Binh could be more than 1000 years old.

Residents say that a gold idol was unearthed from the pile, though claim it was later stolen. The monks of the pagoda have reclaimed 3 primitive idols from the ruins however, and house them in a shrine on the other side of the pagoda. The three images are granite slabs with the faces of Cham god-kings and goddess-queens carved in the surface.

As one of more than a dozen discovered ancient Cham ruins throughout the province, its unclear why the government has not sought to preserve them and develop a network of tourism sites to showcase the historical relics.

Read more about archaeology and antiquities in Binh Thuan Province here.

Ancient Tombs Discovered...
Desecrated and Robbed

23.06.09 In a recent trip to Phan Ri, in central Binh Thuan Province, we discovered an ancient graveyard with a number of bizarre tombs. Solid monoliths, approximately 1.2m X 1.2m X 2.4m were pilled haphazardly among the dunes, along with other curious tomb markers shaped like crouched tigers and decorated in floral patterns.

The shrimp farmers nearby told us they were aware that the tombs were indeed very old, but had moved most of the monuments into piles, in order to clear land and dig ponds for shrimp. They said a man from Quang Ngai Province had visited the site several times to remove artifacts and valuables from the tombs. It's sad that local people have so little regard--not only for burial grounds, but for the cultural treasures of their own local history. At present, nothing is being done to protect the relics, or determine the time period and ethnic group that they belong to.

Read more about Binh Thuan Province Antiquities and Cham temple ruins.

Cultural Treasure Lost

05.11.08 An official at the Binh Thuan Museum (a collection of largely-empty office buildings on the river-front in downtown Phan Thiet) last week conceded what many had long suspected—namely that nearly all the salvaged artifacts from the famous “Binh Thuan Shipwreck,” which were given to the government museum for display, had been sold by local officials and the money entirely spent. Likewise, money given to the government specifically for the construction of a new museum to house the recovered artifacts had been spent on other items, and none of the funds now remained.

The Binh Thuan Ship Wreck was discovered by fishermen 40 miles south of the coast of Binh Thuan Province at a depth of 40m. Local fishermen plundered significant portions of the wreck while the government deliberated on official approval of an excavation on the wreck. Maritime Explorations excavated the wreck in conjunction with the Vietnam Ministry of Culture, Vietnam Salvage Corporation (Visal), and the Binh Thuan People's Committee.

The boat was a Chinese junk, 7m wide, 24m long, and divided into 25 narrow compartments. The boat likely belonged to the merchant, I Sin Ho, who was transporting a cargo of silk, porcelain and other Chinese goods from China to Johore for the Dutch, when his ship sank in 1608. The cargo found was comprised of Zhangzhou (Swatow) porcelain and cast-iron pans. This was the first dedicated cargo of Zhangzhou porcelain ever found. There were also fine blue and white ceramics in a variety of shapes. Non-ceramic artifacts included locks, chopsticks, a set of scales, and copper dishes and bowls.

The Vietnamese Government kept all the unique artifacts (including the most valuable and well-preserved items), along with four fully representative sets, designated to remain in Vietnam for ongoing study and museum display. The remaining artifacts (all multiple duplicates), were sold after full documentation. A large part of the profits were earmarked for the construction of a new museum in Phan Thiet to house the remaining wreck finds and other cultural objects. Christie's Australia hosted an auction in Melbourne on the 1st and 2nd of March 2004, in which all lots were sold for a total of A$2 million.

An official at the museum said that the only items now remaining from the shipwreck included some sets of chopsticks and damaged pottery—items deemed to have little or no retail value--and were kept in a locked storage room where they could not be viewed by the public. This unfortunate outcome was carried out solely by local government officials, despite the best efforts of Maritime Explorations to ensure that the artifacts would be preserved for the public in a fully-financed new museum. Without any remain funds to build the new museum, it is unlikely that even these scraps will ever come into public view.

All 3 Photos by Mike Flecker, Maritime Explorations.

Nguyen Dynasty Cannons found in Binh Thuan

17.03.07 A collection of 24 cannons were found recently in Binh Thuan province, dating back to the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945). They were discovered by local scrap iron collectors near Gia Huynh Spring, neighboring Dong Nai province. They have now become the subject of intense sales negotiations, after disputes arose over the value of the artifacts. Disagreements arose after local authorities only agreed to pay the finders VND200 million (nearly US$12,500) for the cannons, while an organization in Ho Chi Minh City paid twice that amount, and now possesses the items. Local authorities are hoping to buy back 10 of the cannons, alegedly for local exhibition. Discovery of antiquities is often controversial and scandelous, as items frequently disappear on the black market or in private collections, never to be seen by the public.

Ancient Musical Artifacts Found in Binh Thuan

08.08.06 An ancient musical instrument made of eight slabs of stone has been found in Ham My Commune, Ham Thuan Nam District, Binh Thuan Province.

Two weeks ago, while excavating behind his house, Nguyen Van Thanh found several graves and eight slabs of stone. The longest slab is 95 cm by 17 cm. It weighs 12.5kg. The shortest is 52.5 cm and weighs 4.5 kg.

The instrument is believed to be a Dan Da, a stone, lithophone instrument from the neolithic era. The instrument was made by the Sa Huynh peoples, and found among urn tombs burried in the sand dunes. Only five other examples of the instrument have been found, all in mountainous areas. This is the first to be found in a coastal zone.

Iron Age Relics in Duc Linh, Binh Thuan

27.03.06 Vietnamese archaeologists have unearthed several ancient stone and clay artifacts at an excavation site in Da Kai, Duc Linh District (North-West of Mui Ne-Phan Thiet).

Items include a clay tomb, a stone musical instrument and remnants of hoes, axes, and chisels dating back to the late Iron Age (about 3,000 years ago).

Cham relics have also been uncovered in nearby Ham Thuan Bac district, including the Phu Truong kiln, which is about 570 years old.

Both sites were jointly excavated in late 2005 (although initial excavation at the Da Kai site began in 1994) by the Viet Nam History Museum and the Binh Thuan Provincial Culture and Information Service.

Binh Thuan is rich in little known and unpublicized relics and antiquities. Last year thousands of pounds of Ming Dynasty pieces were found at the "Binh Thuan Shipwreck." A subsequent auction was held by Christie's in Australia to raise money for a museum to be built in Phan Thiet, to house the remaining artifacts and tell the history of the find. It is unclear however, what has happened regarding the status of these funds, the museum, or the remaining relics. Meanwhile, pieces supposedly from the wreck continue to mysteriously show up at auction sites on the web.

Binh Thuan Holds 2 New National Records

03.01.06 Vietbooks held a ceremony Monday to announce ten recently recognized records by the organization, in the realm of Vietnamese Buddhism. Binh Thuan province holds two of the records.

The longest reclining Buddha statue lays at the Linh Son Truong Tho Pagoda on Ta Kou Mountain. The statue is 49 m long and 11 m high, and was built between 1963 to 1966; based on the design by architect Truong Dinh Y. This record has actually been well known from the beginning, but this is apparently the first time to be recognized by the record-keeping organization.

The oldest collection of Buddha’s writings engraved in wood found at the Phat Quang Pagoda in Phan Thiet. The collection consists of 118 wooden planks, featuring the sacred texts in more than 60,000 Chinese scripts, which were engraved between 1704 and 1732. The artifacts were found in the cellar of the pagoda in 1987.

Antiquities Siezed in Binh Thuan

14.06.05 Police in Binh Thuan Province have seized 13 Buddha statues and two ancient bronze bells from a trash picker in Ham Chinh village. The biggest statue is 44.5cm tall, and weighs 21kg, and the smallest is 18.5cm and 2kg. The bells are each 25.5cm in diameter and weigh 3.5kg. According to an expert in Phan Thiet city, the bells are thought to be from the Tu Duc Dynasty. The intended fate of the antiquities is not yet clear.