Identifying the Nam Giao altar of the Tay Son dynasty at Ban mountain

Thua Thien - Hue Researchers determined that the Nam Giao altar under the Tay Son dynasty was temporarily built on Ban mountain, where Nguyen Hue ascended the throne.

On the afternoon of June 16, the Department of Culture and Sports of Thua Thien Hue province coordinated with the National Museum of History to report preliminary results of the second phase of archaeological excavation of the Ban mountain relic - Nam Giao altar during the Tay Son period (in An Tay ward, Hue city).

Based on the traces of stone and brick foundations discovered in the first phase of excavation in July 2022, experts from the National Museum of History expanded the excavation pits and developed them on the sides to clarify the scale and structure of the base of the Ban Mountain altar. The excavation aims to determine the scale and original structure to serve the conservation work and to build this relic into a special national relic.

The Ban Mountain area is being archaeologically excavated. Photo: Van The Hue — The Ban Mountain area is being archaeologically excavated. Photo: *Van The Hue*

With the excavation area expanded to over 200 m2 in phase 2, along with the stratigraphic changes and the exposed traces of the foundation, new perceptions have been brought about, more clearly defining the scale and structure. From the two central excavation holes of the altar, experts determined that the Ban Mountain altar was originally a natural rock mountain that was renovated and split into a 3-storey altar in the shape of a truncated cone. The surface of the floors was all filled with pure yellow clay, mixed with pebbles and crushed stone. In addition to the sides of the altar which are natural rock cliffs, many locations were built and supplemented with bricks and stones to form an octagonal ground plan (each side is 32-33m long).

The first floor has a surface of nearly 8 m wide on the North and East sides, with the West side narrowing to 6.8 m and the South side widening to 9.7 m. The second floor has a surface of 6.5-7.1 m wide. Meanwhile, the top third floor - where Emperor Quang Trung held ceremonies - has a round, nearly egg-shaped shape with a diameter of 19 m wide from North to South and 17.8 m wide from East to West, with a flat floor. The relics found are sandstone in the form of blocks, light yellow blocks, or light purple, blue-gray, white-gray slate interspersed with broken bricks. The brick age is concentrated in the 18th century.

From the results obtained, experts assessed that the Tay Son altar in Ban Mountain had a simple construction technique, taking advantage of the natural rocky terrain, which was split and built to create a special scale and structure. This clearly reflects the urgent nature in the construction of the altar, the coronation of King Nguyen Hue of Bac Binh. Although urgent, the contemporary designers still had a sense of planning, bringing harmony, balance and ensuring the theory of three talents "Heaven - Earth - Human" with 3 circular floors above on Ban Mountain.

The octagonal pedestal is a unique and different type of altar that has never been seen before in the world . Also in this excavation, experts discovered traces of a system of steps going up and down in the northwest of the altar. This shows that it is suitable for feng shui factors, directly related to the destiny and age of Bac Binh Vuong Nguyen Hue.

Researcher Do Bang gives his assessment. Photo: Vo Thanh — Researcher Do Bang gives his assessment. Photo: *Vo Thanh*

Historical researcher Do Bang, former Chairman of the Historical Science Association of Thua Thien Hue province, said that it is necessary to conduct a third phase of archaeological excavation at Ban Mountain to determine more clearly the shape of the Nam Giao Altar during the Tay Son period. At the same time, a plan should be developed to protect the initial exposed traces due to the rainy weather in Hue.

"This altar is very unique and special, associated with the place where King Quang Trung ascended the throne. The provincial Department of Culture and Sports needs to soon complete the dossier to propose this place become a special national relic, and soon clear the graves and surrounding houses," Mr. Bang suggested.

Dr. Phan Thanh Hai, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Thua Thien Hue province, said that the second phase of the archaeological excavation of the Ban Mountain relic has partly determined the structure of the Tay Son Dynasty altar at Ban Mountain. The expansion of the second phase of the archaeological excavation has helped the unit and researchers to have a clearer understanding in building a dossier to propose the Prime Minister to recognize this place as a special national relic.

Dr. Phan Thanh Hai, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Thua Thien Hue province. Photo: Vo Thanh — Dr. Phan Thanh Hai, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Thua Thien Hue province. Photo: *Vo Thanh*

Ban Mountain has other names such as Hon Thien (Thieng), Ba Tang Mountain, Ba Vanh Mountain, 43 m high, located in the south of Ngu Binh Mountain. At the end of 1788, Bac Binh King Nguyen Hue held a coronation ceremony, taking the reign name Quang Trung here, then led his troops to the North to defeat the Manchu army commanded by Ton Si Nghi.

Over the past nearly 100 years, the Ban Mountain relic has created the Ban Mountain relic along with building a square and a monument of Emperor Quang Trung with a total area of more than 25,000 m2 right next to it.

Vo Thanh

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