A museum from the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre and the University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Ho Chi Minh City on April 26 began the excavation of an ancient tomb in Cho Lach town.

Assoc. Prof. Pham Duc Manh, dean of the university’s Faculty of Archaeology, said this is a large-scaled double tomb dating back to the late 18th or the early 19th century. It embodies features of tombs built for officials under the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945).

However, the tomb has degraded due to natural and human impacts, he added.

The dig will be conducted on an area of 100 square metres over 10 days. The Ben Tre Museum will preserve artefacts unearthed during the excavation.-VNA