Notes from the relic inventory work

In order to promptly grasp the quantity, changes in place names, types, and status of relics, and unify the database for the management, protection, and promotion of relic values, from March 2019 to April 2022, the Provincial Museum coordinated with the Department of Culture and Information of districts, towns, and cities to organize an inventory of relics in 111 communes, wards, and towns across the province. There were 1,658 relics (not yet classified) that were recorded by the inventory team.

After completing the inventory, the whole Ha Nam province has a total of 1,888 relics, an increase of 104 relics compared to the inventory period 2002 - 2004. Of which, Binh Luc district has the largest number of relics with 463 relics; Kim Bang district has the smallest number of relics with 196 relics. The types of relics are diverse and rich: communal houses, temples, pagodas, shrines, palaces, family churches, communal houses, mausoleums, communal houses, communal houses, communal houses, communal houses, altars, shrines, temples, palaces and other types.

Mr. Do Van Hien, Director of the Provincial Museum, said: According to statistics, Ha Nam, compared to other provinces in the region and the whole country, is a province with a large number of relics, relatively high density, diverse in types, in which communal houses, temples, pagodas account for a large number, with more impressive architectural scale than other relics. In particular, through fieldwork and surveys, a number of relics and traces with a long history related to prehistoric, early historical, Ly and Tran dynasties were discovered. The majority of the remaining relics were built from the second half of the 17th century to the 19th century - the Later Le and Nguyen dynasties. Among them, there are many typical relics closely related to the revolutionary and resistance history of the province.

Notes from the relic inventory work — ***Information about Giau Pagoda Stele at Ha Nam Provincial Museum.***

Of the total number of relics inventoried in the period 2019 - 2022 (excluding the ranked relics), the number of relics that meet all the necessary criteria and conditions to be included in the ranking plan in the coming years in the province is about 190 relics that can be included in the ranking plan. Accompanying the relics are artifacts and worship objects of various types such as steles, bells, gongs, incense tables, palanquins, altars, parallel sentences, large inscriptions, statues, thrones, genealogies, royal decrees dating from the Ly, Tran, Later Le and Nguyen dynasties, which are valuable for the research of history, culture, fine arts, customs and local practices. As of September 2023, Ha Nam province has 3 recognized national treasures: Sung Thien Dien Linh Stele, Giau Pagoda Stele, Tien Noi I Bronze Drum. Among the thousands of worship objects and artifacts at the recently inventoried relics, there are 6 typical artifacts that can build a program and plan for in-depth research, and propose to the province to establish a scientific dossier to propose recognition as national treasures in the coming years. These are the Kim Cuong statue set of Doi Son pagoda (Tien Son commune, Duy Tien town); The bronze book "Kham ban dong bai" (currently kept in Van An village, Bac Ly commune, Ly Nhan district); Tho Chuong communal house palanquin (Dao Ly commune, Ly Nhan district); Van Xa communal house dragon tray (Duc Ly commune, Ly Nhan district); Dieu pagoda stone bell (Vu Ban commune, Binh Luc district); Dang Xa pagoda stone altar and altar (Van Xa commune, Kim Bang district).

In addition to having an overview of the relics, helping localities to compile a list of relics, the 2019-2022 relic inventory also contributes to disseminating the Law on Cultural Heritage and legal documents on relics to the celebration committees and the people to have a more complete understanding of the Party's guidelines, policies and laws of the State in the work of protecting and promoting the value of relics. Helping local authorities and functional branches to preliminarily identify the historical, cultural, architectural and artistic values of the relics; discovering valuable relics and antiquities to have a plan for research and promotion. The relic inventory also helps local authorities to grasp more deeply some issues about the value, current status of the relics, the situation of restoration, embellishment and promotion of the value of the relics; supplementing and providing information on the relics to serve the management work of localities. The inventory results are also the initial basis for classifying relic values, helping Party committees and authorities at all levels in planning programs to preserve and promote relic values associated with the goals of developing culture, society, economy and tourism.

From the results of the relic inventory and on the basis of the data and list handed over, districts, towns and cities need to continue to compile statistics and hand over to subordinate units to keep records to serve the work of managing, protecting and promoting the value of relics. In addition, based on the inventory list, it is necessary to review the relics that meet the conditions and criteria for ranking, coordinate with specialized agencies to survey, evaluate and include them in the annual ranking plan. Do a good job of socializing the restoration and embellishment of relics associated with promoting the value of relics to serve the community and develop tourism.

Chu Binh

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