Than Sa relic site is located in Than Sa commune, about 25km from Thai Nguyen city, the crow flies to the North-Northeast direction. The dense limestone mountains at the end of the Bac Son Son system and narrow valleys along the banks of the Than Sa River are the features of the topography here.
It was in the caves at this place, from the 70s to the end of the 80s, that archaeologists discovered and identified a new archeological culture – “Culture Than Sa”, dating from the under 30,000 years old, was first found in Southeast Asia, attracting the attention of a large number of domestic and international scientists.
Tens of thousands of artifacts from Phieng Tung caves, Ha Son I, Ha Son II caves, Tham Choong caves, Na Ngon caves and Mai Da Ranh caves… in Than Sa, with hewn pebble tools such as: shards, axes. hand, cobblestone cutter, edge cutter, double-edged cutter, ox horn tool… Especially, the discovery of 3 ancient human skeletons buried in Mai Da Nguom, Kim Son hamlet are the valuable documents to help scientists learn more deeply about the famous Hoa Binh culture.
Nguom Rock Roof, the most important site of Than Sa archaeological site, is located on the slopes of Nguom mountain range in Trung Son village, about 1km south of Phieng Tung. This is a giant stone roof about 30m high and 60m wide. The excavation pit of Nguom site shows that there are 4 archaeological cultural strata. The typical stone relics of the Bac Son, Hoa Binh, and Son Vi cultures are located on the 1st, 2nd floor… on the 3rd floor, there are only typical tools of Nguom. And in the 4th cultural layer are thousands of Phieng Tung and Nguom style stone tools. The spear tools, scraping tools and second processing techniques resembled the typical tools and techniques of the Muscovite culture, which was typical of the Middle Paleolithic era.
Coming to Than Sa, one feels like coming to a majestic landscape of rocky mountains with primeval forests on high limestone floors dropping shadows into the blue Than Sa river. We can relax in the sound of the wind howling in the stone roof and the sound of running water to reflect on the life of the ancients, only here can we feel that people are really small compared to the majestic mountains. Come to Than Sa to see with your own eyes the Tay villages with lovely stilt roofs hidden under the trees close to the foot of the limestone mountains. God Sa, past and present, has always hidden many things.
Source: Collected internet.