There was no written assignment, no support system, and no agency that regularly checked. From a voluntary action, Mr. Chien fell into a state of waiting and holding many frustrations.
When first discovered, many experts interviewed agreed that they had never discovered a boat with such a “strange” design in Vietnam. This was a discovery that not only shocked the archaeological community but also raised big questions about boat building techniques, waterway trade and the presence of ancient Vietnamese people in the maritime history of the area...
Expectations and reality…
Last weekend, a group of Van Hoa reporters returned to the site of an emergency excavation of two ancient boats in Ha Man ward, Thuan Thanh town ( Bac Ninh ). The bustling scene at the construction site, with people coming and going like a few months ago, was no longer there, only the wild, wild reeds that made us sad in the bleak sunset. We were no longer met by a group of officials and experts, but by the harsh shouts of an old farmer: Mr. Nguyen Van Chien, the discoverer of the ancient boat.
In early 2025, Mr. Chien rented an excavator to renovate a fish pond on a plot of land about 360 square meters. This was the land he rented from a local household to raise tilapia. While digging 3-5 meters deep to retain water in the pond, a layer of gray sand appeared and after a few days of drying, two ancient-shaped boats appeared. Having heard elders talk about the ancient Dau River, Mr. Chien proactively searched for images of ancient boats online and quickly recognized unusual signs. He decided to report the incident to the local authorities out of a sense of civic responsibility.
Interviewing Mr. Chien during his visits to work, we still cannot forget his lovable shyness and embarrassment when he was "surrounded". "When I discovered the remains of an ancient boat, some people advised me not to report it because this is a business land. However, my conscience did not allow it. I informed the local authorities, hoping that experts would make assessments and excavations to contribute to preserving the heritage value", this simple old farmer confided.
However, what happened next left Mr. Chien disappointed. “At first, I thought that I did the right thing, that I was responsible for the heritage, and that the government would recognize me and provide some support to continue my livelihood. But after the excavation workshop at the end of the third lunar month, everyone left and no one came back. No one assigned me any responsibilities or asked if I had any difficulties,” Mr. Chien shared.
Three months have passed, and Mr. Chien is still personally looking after the land. There is no guard, no mechanism to maintain the preservation conditions of the artifacts. A temporary tarpaulin layer covered with sandbags is the only way for him to preserve the area with traces of antiquities. “I still live here, still sit and watch to prevent strangers from arbitrarily pulling up the tarpaulin. Many curious people come to see, I have to shout to maintain the status quo. But unfortunately, I have not been assigned any official responsibility. Everyone tells me that as the head of the household, I have to look after it myself. So if something is lost tomorrow, will I be responsible?”, he wondered.
Since the discovery of the ancient boat, all agricultural production and fish farming activities of Mr. Chien have come to a complete halt. “I planned to release another batch of tilapia, but I couldn’t. The pond was dug, and before the water could be retained, it had to be drained for excavation. For three and a half months, I have not earned anything, while still having to pay the land rent and worry about daily expenses,” he said.
Not only fish, but also the crops above were affected. The tree roots, vegetable beds and cultivated fields were dug up by excavators, filled with soil and completely deformed. He said the total loss from fish output, crops, labor and time lost was estimated at more than 100 million VND. “I don’t ask for too much. But at least there should be some kind of support policy. I spent money on protection, buying tarpaulins, sandbags, electricity and machinery for excavation, but there was not a single penny of support. The excavation workers were paid, but I was not counted for maintenance,” he added.
According to Mr. Chien, during the excavation summary meeting at the end of the third lunar month, there was the participation of local leaders and some functional agencies. There, someone proposed to support part of the budget for Mr. Chien to look after the area, but then no one did. “Some said there was budget support, others said no. Some even insisted that no one needed to look after it, just covering it with a tarp was enough. So who should I listen to?”, he asked.
Mr. Chien said that he had repeatedly proposed support, at least for the effort of preservation and production losses, but always received the general answer: "You have to write a petition". However, he did not want to write a petition because he thought he had no obligation to "ask for support" when he had voluntarily reported and cooperated. "Writing a petition is asking! I am not asking, I just want to be recognized. If everyone hides relics and antiquities for fear of loss and does not report to the government or competent agencies, how much historical and cultural value will this country lose? But if after reporting, they are abandoned like this, who will dare to report again next time?", he said bitterly.
Not only Mr. Chien, but also people in the surrounding area have begun to question the responsibility for managing the relic after excavation. The ancient boat, once considered an important discovery in the archaeological system of the Luy Lau - Dau - But Thap region, now lies quietly under a tarpaulin, without a guard. “No one comes down to check. There are no fences, no signs, no equipment to keep the area safe. If unfortunately someone vandalizes it or heavy rains wash it away, who will be responsible?”, Mr. Chien asked.
Faced with the ongoing damage, Mr. Chien requested that the authorities soon have an official response on: Recognizing the responsibility of looking after the relic, avoiding people protecting it alone without a legal basis; Having a reasonable damage support mechanism, based on the time of production stoppage, affected area and people's efforts; Ensuring information transparency, avoiding the situation where each unit says something different, but no one does anything.
“Disappointment” is what we noted in the mood of Mr. Nguyen Van Chien, the first person to discover the ancient boat and immediately reported it to the local authorities. Those who are interested in this important and mysterious artifact feel indignant at the way the authorities and local authorities have responded.
Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/van-hoa/bi-bo-roi-the-nay-ai-con-dam-bao-nua-143219.html
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