The soul of the early days of nation building

Today, amidst the fertile fields of Yen Lac town, Yen Lac district, Vinh Phuc province (old), Dong Dau National Monument still stands tall like a cultural source that never stops flowing. Thousands of years have passed, the land and people here still preserve the soul of a glorious period in the process of nation building of the Vietnamese people.

Dong Dau archaeological site was discovered in February 1962, covering an area of ​​about 86,000 m2. Since then, Dong Dau has undergone 7 excavations with a total area of ​​over 800 m2. Through these excavations, sophisticatedly engraved ceramic pieces, meticulously polished stone tools, and the first bronze artifacts such as arrows, axes, spears, fishhooks... were found, reflecting the outstanding manufacturing skills and creative thinking of ancient Vietnamese residents. These artifacts also reveal a stable and rich settled life. Residents here knew how to grow crops, raise livestock, hunt and gather. The remains of wooden bamboo stilt houses, charcoal-fired stoves and ceramic jars containing food show a community that knew how to organize and divide labor, forming the first elements of a class society - the foundation for the birth of ancient states.

Dong Dau National Monument in Yen Lac town, Yen Lac district, Vinh Phuc province (old)

In 1996, the Dong Dau archaeological site was ranked as a National Monument by the Ministry of Culture and Information (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism). Many artifacts excavated from here are currently preserved and displayed at the Vinh Phuc Museum and the National Museum of History, contributing to the research, education and promotion of ancient Vietnamese culture.

The artifacts found reflect the outstanding manufacturing skills and creative thinking of ancient Vietnamese residents.

However, along with the pace of modern life and urbanization, Dong Dau relic is facing many challenges. The encroachment of residents, the impact of agricultural cultivation and climate change has caused the conservation area to shrink, some excavation pits have been filled in and faded over the years. Although conservation and promotion work has been focused on, it is still not commensurate with the great value that the relic carries.

Realizing the importance of preserving this “prehistoric treasure”, Vinh Phuc province (old), now Phu Tho province, has been implementing the Project to Protect and Promote the Value of Dong Dau Archaeological Relics for the period 2025 – 2035 and the following years. This is considered a long-term strategy to comprehensively preserve and promote the value of the relic associated with sustainable cultural and tourism development.

In the period of 2025 - 2030, the locality will focus on planning, zoning, and setting up boundary markers to protect relics; preserving in situ a number of outdoor excavation pits for sightseeing and study. Along with that is the construction of a digital database, digitizing all related documents and artifacts, and completing the dossier to submit to the Government to recognize Dong Dau as a special national relic. The province also plans to organize national scientific seminars, produce documentaries, build a website to introduce relics and develop tourist routes connecting Dong Dau with other relics and scenic spots in the region.

Dong Dau archaeological site continues to be comprehensively preserved and its value promoted in association with cultural and tourism development.

The 2030-2035 period will focus on completing the infrastructure of the relic site with a green park and an exhibition house for research and sightseeing. It is expected that there will be two to four sets of books introducing the value of the relic compiled, along with at least five exhibitions at home and abroad to more widely promote the image of Dong Dau - the cradle of ancient Vietnamese culture. In addition, the locality will organize professional training courses for cultural staff and tour guides, ensuring that the conservation work is carried out systematically and scientifically.

When the project is completed, Dong Dau will not only be an archaeological site but will become a national cultural and historical center, a place connecting the past and the present. The relic space is planned in harmony between nature and architecture, serving both research and traditional education, and being a unique tourist attraction. From there, Dong Dau - where the national soul has been crystallized over thousands of years - will forever be a symbol of eternal vitality, a reminder for today's generation of the responsibility to preserve and promote the precious heritage left by their ancestors.

Le Minh

Source: https://baophutho.vn/hon-cot-buoi-dau-dung-nuoc-241153.htm