On July 31, at Binh Dinh Provincial Museum, the Department of Culture and Sports (VH&TT) of Binh Dinh province coordinated with the Vietnam Institute of Archaeology to report preliminary results of the second excavation of the Dai Huu tower ruins, Chanh Man village, Cat Nhon commune, Phu Cat district.

Regarding the results of the excavation of the Dai Huu tower ruins, Dr. Pham Van Trieu, Vietnam Institute of Archaeology, said that the entire tower body, the eastern lobby foundation, the northern pedestal foundation, and part of the southern and western pedestal foundations had been exposed.

The excavation process discovered a total of 678 artifacts. Of these, 156 were stone artifacts of various shapes and sizes, such as: Altar, stone ear, corner decoration stone, human-shaped decorative relief, lotus-shaped decorative relief... and 522 terracotta artifacts (not including brick artifacts).

According to Dr. Pham Van Trieu, the Dai Huu tower ruins were built on a mountain top with a rocky surface. Before building the tower, the Champa people chiseled rocks to create a certain level.

Next, the worker adds a thin layer of compacted soil, which stabilizes the foundation and ground, and then proceeds to build bricks and stones.

The tower foundation system uses many different materials, such as: bricks, laterite, granite, sandstone. In which, bricks play an important role, the tower base is built with many layers of bricks using the grinding method, bonded with a layer of mortar made from vegetable resin.

"From the relics and artifacts, compared with the excavated and researched Champa tower architecture, combined with the inscriptions discovered so far, it is possible that the Dai Huu tower ruins date back to around the mid-13th century.

During the excavation, pieces of household pottery dating back to the 17th-18th centuries were discovered. These artifacts are associated with Chanh Man citadel, built by the Tay Son dynasty in the northeast at the foot of Dat mountain. This reflects that in the late 18th century, the Dai Huu tower ruins were an important military base of the Tay Son dynasty," said Dr. Pham Van Trieu.

Dr. Le Dinh Phung, former Head of the Historical Archaeological Research Department of the Vietnam Institute of Archaeology, shared: "Based on many archaeological discoveries at the Dai Huu ruins, we have learned many more mysteries and new research documents about Champa architecture and sculpture. For a long time, the documents have relied on French research, this time we have a new, valuable source of documents."

According to Mr. Huynh Van Loi, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Binh Dinh province, through the excavation process, the Dai Huu ruins have found foundations and artifacts that are very valuable, much more than other Champa relics and towers in the area.

"For the artifacts that have been exposed and excavated, there must be a plan for preservation and research to include them in the system of Champa artifacts in the province. Binh Dinh Museum will study the excavation results and advise the department's leaders on the management and promotion of Dai Huu ruins," said Mr. Loi.

Mr. Loi also emphasized that in the coming time, the Department of Culture and Sports of Binh Dinh province requested the excavation host unit to continue researching and completing the publication of archaeological results, and advise the Department of Culture and Sports on reclamation, protection and promotion of the relic.

Phu Cat District People's Committee and Cat Nhon Commune authorities coordinated with Binh Dinh Provincial Museum to protect the Dai Huu Tower ruins, and to propagate to people to limit their visits to this ruins site, and to protect the ruins for development.