Fourteen archaeological sites in the northernmost province of Ha Gianghave been excavated in the past fortnight, revealing hundreds of relicsbelieved to appear in the prehistoric and protohistoric times, an expertsaid.
Assoc. Prof. and Dr. Trinh Nang Chung from the VietnamInstitute of Archaeology said the excavation has taken place since July26 in mountainous districts, including Dong Van, Meo Vac, and Yen Minh,which are located in the Dong Van Karst Plateau.
In theneighbourhood of Dong Van town in Dong Van district, the Seo Ho streamsite was found to contain prehistoric pebble tools, which were typicalfor the Palaeolithic Era (Old Stone Age).
Meanwhile, stone axes and grinding bases dating back to the lateNeolithic Era (New Stone Age) about 4,000 years ago were unearthed atfour sites in Thuong Phung, Xin Cai and Pa Vi communes in Meo Vacdistrict.
Archeologists also discovered pebble toolsof primitive type existing in the Palaeolithic Era at 10 sites in NaKhe, Mau Due, Niem Son and Du Gia communes, Yen Minh district. They aresimilar to those aged about 20,000 years old found in Can Ty commune,nearby Quan Ba district, in October 2013.
Besides tools, foodtraces like shells of snails that only appeared in these times were alsodug up in Yen Minh’s Du Gia commune.
Chung said more than 20relic sites from the Palaeolithic Era to the Metal Period have beendiscovered in the Dong Van Karst Plateau, which signals greatarchaeological values here.
The Dong Van Karst Plateau, with 80percent of its terrain being limestone, spreads over Quan Ba, Yen Minh,Meo Vac and Dong Van.
The plateau was recognised as a member ofthe Global Network of National Geoparks in 2010, becoming Vietnam’sfirst geological park and the second in Southeast Asia.-VNA