Quang Ngai: unique stone instrument found on Bui Hui grassland

Quang Ngai (VNA) – A stone wind instrument initially believed to date back about a thousand years ago was recently discovered on the Bui Hui grassland of Ba To district, the central province of Quang Ngai.

Bui Dinh Ngon, who is in charge of the Ba To Uprising Museum in Ba To district, said the instrument is over 200kg in weight and 30cm in height. It was found while residents in Ba Trang commune were doing farm work on the Bui Hui grassland.

This is the first time such an instrument has been found here, he said, noting that it has an almost triangle shape with a big hole in the front side and many smaller holes in the blowing position behind.

There is a possibility that this instrument was accidentally formed from a volcanic eruption, and residents on the Bui Hui grassland about 1,000 years ago used it to make sound signals, he added.

A resident from Ba Bich commune in the same district has bought the instrument and taken it home.

Ngon said they will propose local authorities allow the museum to preserve this instrument or return it to the place where it was discovered to serve tourism purposes.

The Bui Hui grassland is located at 628m above the sea level. Apart from a vast grassland area, it is also home to more than 20ha of rose myrtle, which has become a magnet for tourists.-VNA