Through excavations, many types of relics and thousands of artifacts have been found such as: pottery; production tools; weapons; jewelry; living utensils made of stone and bronze; hornbone; Round statues, animal figures molded by terracotta… In addition, many burnt rice grains belonging to the Phung Nguyen culture class were discovered – proving that wet-rice farming and animal husbandry existed very early in the construction. country of the Hung Kings.
Phase I : From November 1965 to March 1966, the Institute of Archeology conducted the first excavation at Dong Dau relic. This excavation was carried out for two purposes. The first is to learn about stratigraphic changes, properties, dates, owners and characteristics of the monument. Second, the excavation results will contribute to the study of the Late Stone Age, Bronze Age and Early Iron Age period.
In the cultural layer from 2.6 to 3.2m thick, archaeologists have discovered many relics such as kitchen, embankment, ancient tomb, dug hole… Especially, a collection of relics has been obtained. Includes over 800 artifacts. In which, stoneware includes: axes, hammers, chisels, knives, pestles, grinding tables, beating tables, grinding tables, jewelry rings, necklaces,; bronze items include: axes, chisels, awls, knife handles, arrows, fishing hooks, wire, needles and many bronzes; Pottery has: pots, jars, pots, bowls, vases, forks, plumbs; marbles, terracotta animal statues… In addition, pottery pieces with different cultural characteristics were also discovered.
Through the evolution of the cultural layer and the unearthed artifacts, researchers have found that the cultural layer has different developments, and the artifacts in the cultural layer also have differences. But it is worth noting that the pottery here (from the type to the pattern) are related to each other, the pottery of the upper culture layer is similar to the pottery of the lower culture layer, the upper layer is the development of the lower layer pottery. .
The results of this first excavation have helped us to understand the first step of this monument, and at the same time contributed an important material for the study of the metal age.
Phase II: Conducted by Mr. Luu Tran Tieu and Mr. Pham Van Kinh – staff of the Vietnam History Museum (now the National Museum of History), the excavation took place from the end of April to June 1967. This excavation shows that: In the “very thick” cultural layer, many artifacts and other traces of human activities have been discovered. Especially, for the first time, I saw traces of copper furnaces, next to which 3 ax molds were still quite intact. The artifacts obtained are also very rich. Stoneware with axes, spikes, spears, knives, beads, and rings. Skeletons with sharp points, knives. Bronze wares with chisels, awls, and arrows. Pottery with thread and many pieces of pottery of all kinds.
This second excavation has discovered a number of new relics and relics such as traces of copper furnaces, through stones, stone knives…
Phase III: From December 1968 to May 1969, the Institute of Archeology returned to excavate the Dong Dau relic with the aim of clarifying the scientific issues raised in the previous excavation about the distribution of minerals. soil layers, cultural layers, about the development of relics as well as the relationship from the Phung Nguyen cultural period to the Go Mun culture period. This is the largest-scale excavation. During the excavation process, many cultural, scientific, educational and political officials came to the site to visit and research. Especially Prime Minister Pham Van Dong also visited.
Overview of excavation pit at Dong Dau relic, 1969
During this excavation, many relics such as yellow clay foundation, kitchen, dug hole were discovered and the first burial tomb was discovered at Dong Dau relic. The grave is buried in the residence area, close to the surface of the birthplace. The discovered relics are not only abundant in quantity but also very rich and diverse in materials and types.
Prime Minister Pham Van Dong visits the excavation site at Dong Dau relic in 1969
Through the soil layers from early to late stage, through relics and relics, archaeological researchers have clearly identified the continuous development of 3 cultural complexes, starting from Phung Nguyen through Dong Dau to Go Mun. Thanks to these findings, we have more solid grounds to prove that our national culture is a civilization with longstanding and indigenous origin.
Phase IV: From March to May 1984, the Metallurgical Department of the Institute of Archeology and Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan – Phu Tho Museum staff conducted excavations. With the purpose to collect more documents to clarify the basic aspects of the ancient Vietnamese civilization in the country’s founding.
Excavation results show that the settlement of Dong Dau residents is continuous and quite long-term. In the cultural layer, many relics of column pits, house floors, dug holes, stoves, copper casting furnaces were discovered, and two tombs were discovered, one in the Go Mun period and the other in the Dong Son period. Graves belonging to the Go Mun period were buried on a carefully beaten yellow clay foundation. Especially the copper crafting area has its own living area and fire stove. Relics in the cultural layer are also quite rich. In addition, some traces of metallurgy were found in the Phung Nguyen cultural class. Through the collected documents, through this excavation and previous excavations, it has been convincingly proven that metallurgy is indeed indigenous. In addition, authentic records of rice farming, animal husbandry and horticulture with burnt rice grains are also found.
Phase V: March 1987, Department of Archeology, Department of History, General University (now University of Social Sciences and Humanities) in collaboration with Department of Culture and Information, Vinh Provincial Museum Phuc has been excavating. This excavation has clarified the cultural evolution in Dong Dau. The results of analysis of ceramic documents of this excavation show that two intermediate layers transitioned from Phung Nguyen culture to Dong Dau culture and from Dong Dau culture to Go Mun culture. In addition, this excavation has provided additional evidence that bronze casting appeared from the earliest cultural class.
Phase VI: November 12 to December 30, 1999. The Vietnam History Museum (now the National Museum of History) has coordinated with the Department of Culture, Information, Sports and the Museum of Vinh Phuc Province to conduct excavation. With the purpose of learning more deeply about Dong Dau cultural relic in order to complete the dossier, to propose the Ministry of Culture and Information to rank the Dong Dau relic as a national one and to add more artifact collections for the display. of the Museum.
Stone axes and bowls discovered at Dong Dau archaeological site in 1999
Bronze artifacts discovered at Dong Dau archaeological site in 1999
The results of excavation and exploration show that the stratigraphic structure of the holes in Go Dong Dau is quite similar in terms of the formation process and cultural content. In particular, in the killing culture class, the birth-earth class discovered 2 burials, in which one of the remains was still quite intact. Relics obtained here are also very rich. Stoneware with axes, hammers, chisels, knives, beaters, grinding wheels, molding pieces, arrows, millet stones, rings, earrings, beads, shards, and rings. Bronze coins with 6 coins dating back to “Kai Nguyen thong bao” were discovered in the exploration pit, in addition, there are awls, arrows, javelin, fishing nets, hilts… Bones have arrows, javelins, spearheads, etc. Ring pieces, charms, Y-shaped horn objects. Pottery with pots, bowls, vases, plumbs, pattern stamping tables, ceramic balls, animal statues, mold cores, ceramic forks and broken pieces of pottery. The vestiges of flora and fauna discovered in this excavation are very diverse in types.
It can be said that this sixth excavation result has helped us to have a more comprehensive understanding of the Dong Dau archaeological site. Stratigraphic evolution with successive layers of culture sooner or later containing the vestiges of the ancients along with various types of artifacts confirm that Dong Dau relic is a very important pre-Dong Son relic, a place of residence. long-term and continuous residence of the Phung Nguyen – Dong Dau – Go Mun people. In particular, the discovery and study of burial mounds, animal and plant remains, as well as the dating have clarified the issues of the owner, living environment and dating of the monument. The date of Dong Dau culture is agreed by researchers that it is about 3500 – 3000 years ago today.
Ceramic artifacts were discovered at the Dong Dau archaeological site in 1999
Human remains belonging to the Phung Nguyen culture class
were discovered at the Dong Dau archaeological site in 1999 and kept at the Vinh Phuc Provincial Museum.
The Dong Dau relic discovered and researched shows that, although the excavation area is small compared to the size of the area. But the sources of materials collected from excavations and explorations are massive and rich. The source material has helped us step by step to sketch a multi-faceted, vivid picture of an ancient village in the Hung Kings period. Especially thanks to the mass of documents collected at Dong Dau relic, scientists have restored truthfully, objectively and scientifically the development path of pre-Dong Son cultures in the Red River basin.
Source: Collected internet.