Traces of ancient Tran Dynasty pagoda discovered on northern border

Ha Giang Artifacts of an ancient pagoda with typical Tran Dynasty architecture were found on a hill about 80 km from the Vietnam - China border.

In early November, local people reported finding some traces of antiquities on a hill 50 meters from Gam River, in Bo Cung village, Yen Phu town, Bac Me district. Legend has it that there was an ancient pagoda in this area that was ruined, so the Ha Giang Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism invited the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences to conduct a survey.

Participating in the survey team, Associate Professor Dr. Trinh Nang Chung, Vietnam Archaeological Association, said that at the end of November, the team organized a search at the top of the hill, about 15 meters higher than the Gam River. This area is covered with vegetation including bamboo, reeds and many other trees. Fallen leaves form a thick layer, covering the entire relic.

The survey team found more than 500 terracotta artifacts including: small towers, tiles, decorative materials, and household ceramics. Among them, there is a tower fragment with a dragon head and 400 broken pieces of pointed tiles, lotus-shaped tiles, with decorative features of the Tran Dynasty, 13th-14th century. In particular, there is a thin tile piece decorated with lemon flowers, chrysanthemums and vines on the surface.

Tile roof artifacts discovered in Ha Giang. Photo: Trinh Nang Chung — Tile roof artifacts discovered in Ha Giang. Photo: *Trinh Nang Chung*

Regarding stonework, the survey team found 12 stone pillars, with an average size of 45-50 cm and a thickness of 25-35 cm. There was a pedestal with a flat, circular surface, with a raised circular border 4 cm higher than the surrounding surface. The diameter of the raised circular block was 40 cm, corresponding to the diameter of the round wooden pillar standing on it. The above relics were found on the ground.

The survey team then opened a 2m2, 45cm deep exploratory pit, more than 10m east of the hilltop center, and discovered more than 250 pieces of tiles, including 6 fairly intact tiles, indicating that this was the collapsed roof of an ancient temple. Expanding the search around the hill, they discovered stone revetments.

Associate Professor Chung said that on the top of the hill there used to be a large-scale ancient pagoda, built during the Tran Dynasty. "The pagoda has very important historical, cultural and social values for Dai Viet. The presence of this pagoda is very meaningful in marking Dai Viet's cultural milestone in the border area, affirming our nation's sense of cultural sovereignty from thousands of years ago," Associate Professor Chung said.

Household Finance

Source link