New secrets of national treasures and Champa temple complex

New studies have revealed more secrets about the glorious period of Champa culture, and at the same time opened up research directions and proposed further research contents such as archaeological surveys and excavations.

New secret of national treasure made of gold

At the workshop "New archaeological discoveries on Champa relics" organized by the Institute of Archaeology on October 25, Associate Professor Dr. Ngo Van Doanh (former Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Southeast Asian Studies ) announced his research on the golden linga treasure and Po Dam tower (Tuy Phong, old Binh Thuan , now Lam Dong). According to Associate Professor Dr. Doanh, this golden Po Dam linga was recognized as a national treasure in 2024 and has many research meanings.

Precious Linga found at Po Dam

PHOTO: QUE HA

Specifically, Mr. Doanh stated that during the Hoan Vuong period (757-859), there was a tradition of making kosa from precious metals to offer to the Sivalinga worshiped in temples. "The reason I am talking about a tradition and not a single event is because the Champa kings making and offering kosa to the temples worshiping the god Siva has been mentioned quite a lot in the inscriptions," Associate Professor, Dr. Ngo Van Doanh analyzed.

This was also recorded on a stone stele discovered in 2006 at the Hoa Lai temple complex. Then, in 2011, in the Asia Magazine published in Paris, France, two researchers Arlo Griffiths and William Southworth published an article with the first annotations and research on this stele. The stele has additional details for the historical period of the late 8th century and the first half of the 9th century of the Champa kingdom. One of the contents is: "In the main shrine of Sri Svayamutpannesvara, King Sri Satyavarman established a church (sala)... Besides, in the shrine of Sri Sankarsanadeva, a church was also established... The king also ordered Sri Vrddhesvara a kosa (a silver linga box) with a golden face".

Associate Professor Dr. Ngo Van Doanh assessed the Po Dam golden linga as a plain lingakosa (linga bag) without the face of the god Siva. The Po Dam golden linga bag was made in the style of a linga with only a slightly curved round part at the top of the Hoa Lai style of the 8th - 9th century. Finally, he concluded: "The Po Dam artifact is the earliest known golden kosa and is a rare type of Champa."

Stone stele tells stories

Another study published in the above-mentioned conference is the study of ancient inscriptions conducted by MSc. Dong Thanh Danh (Khanh Hoa Province Cultural Heritage Conservation Center) and Dr. Do Truong Giang (Institute of Archaeology). Accordingly, the land of Ninh Thuan (now Khanh Hoa) and Binh Thuan (now Lam Dong) formerly belonged to the small country of Panduranga during the Champa period. Panduranga played an important role in the history of Champa and Southeast Asia, associated with many dynasties and political forces that existed continuously from the 7th to 19th centuries. The Champa inscription system has many giant inscriptions and is engraved directly on large rocks in nature. There are also inscriptions with very beautiful and delicate handwriting showing the art of calligraphy. Many Champa inscriptions in Ninh Thuan are worshiped by the people as gods, such as the Da Ne and Hon Do steles.

Da Ne stele (Ninh Thuan, now Khanh Hoa)

PHOTO: DO GIANG

The 8th - 9th century Virapura period inscriptions show the central role of Panduranga in the Champa political system through records of successive kings. However, the exact location of Virapura capital is still not determined. Through the results of surveys conducted in 2022 and 2025, the research team of the Institute of Imperial Citadel Studies initially determined the location of Virapura capital in the area around Bau Lau mound (Po Sah in Cham), a location southwest of Phan Rang-Thap Cham city, and north of the present Bau Truc village. Also here, researchers found many traces of ancient architecture and Chinese ceramics.

Information at the workshop also assessed that research on Champa cultural heritage in Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan has so far been almost absent of works on the system of temple and tower ruins. New studies have focused mainly on typical relics and artifacts of Champa culture in Ninh Thuan, and there have not been many studies and discoveries on relics and artifacts in Binh Thuan. Therefore, archaeologists wish to promote research on the system of Champa archaeological relics in Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan to understand more about the Panduranga state in history.

Associate Professor Dr. Bui Minh Tri, former Director of the Institute for Imperial Citadel Studies, stated that it is necessary to have a plan to continue researching and preserving Cham cultural heritage. "It is possible to carry out some immediate tasks such as digitizing, documenting and preserving in the form of digital documents, serving the long-term research goals," Mr. Tri said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ha Van Can, Director of the Institute of Archaeology, proposed to carry out further research activities such as surveying and excavating some important sites, such as the Song Luy citadel. Mr. Can also suggested to simultaneously plan to collect and study Champa inscriptions that are stored in some major libraries of the Institute of Han Nom Studies and the Institute of Social Science Information.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/bi-mat-moi-cua-bao-vat-quoc-gia-va-khu-den-thap-champa-18525102621544041.htm