On April 8, Thanh Hoa province organized a scientific workshop to evaluate the possibility of nominating and determining criteria for building a heritage dossier for Con Moong cave (Thach Thanh district), nominating UNESCO to inscribe it on the World Heritage List.
The workshop was attended by leading experts and scientists in the fields of history, archaeology, heritage, geology, environment, tourism, and a number of units with extensive experience in building world heritage profiles.
An archaeological excavation pit at Con Moong cave. Photo: TTO
At the workshop, Associate Professor, Dr. Tong Trung Tin - Chairman of the Vietnam Archaeological Association recommended that in the coming time, Thanh Hoa province should establish a provincial-level Steering Committee to lead and direct relevant units to coordinate with central agencies to develop a dossier on the Con Moong Cave Heritage Site; promptly implement the project "Research and develop a dossier on the Con Moong Cave Relic Site to submit to UNESCO for recognition as a world heritage site".
According to Associate Professor, Dr. Tong Trung Tin, the Con Moong Cave heritage site can meet the global outstanding criteria. However, the work of building a world heritage profile is a difficult task, requiring perseverance and high concentration of intelligence from the political system including Thanh Hoa province, scientists, leading managers in the country and internationally as well as related parties.
In the immediate future, focus on researching, selecting and arguing for criteria to determine the outstanding global value of Con Moong Cave World Heritage Site and related relics, and publish documents on "Con Moong Cave Heritage Site - Authenticity, integrity and outstanding global value".
At the same time, pay attention to implementing the planning for conservation, restoration and tourism exploitation of Con Moong Cave Relic Site and related relics associated with the biodiversity of Cuc Phuong National Park, the cultural identity of the Muong ethnic group and sustainable tourism development in regional linkage, as a basis for the province to work with UNESCO consultants on the dossier of Con Moong Cave Heritage Site.
Speaking at the workshop, experts and scientists assessed the current status and outstanding global value of Con Moong Cave and its vicinity, based on the results of excavation and research over the past half century and recent survey results.
Among them, some main groups of issues stand out: The results of excavation and research on Con Moong Cave from 1976 to present; determining the characteristics, properties, age and outstanding historical and cultural values of Con Moong Cave relic in a broader context...
These papers provide objective and accurate information for scientists and experts to discuss the outstanding global value of Con Moong Cave, and the scientific basis to introduce to international consultants the feasibility of the scientific dossier of Con Moong Cave and its vicinity.
Con Moong Cave is the most unique prehistoric archaeological site in Vietnam and Southeast Asia with a 3.6m thick stratum, containing the evolution of prehistoric cultures, from the Old Stone Age to the New Stone Age.
In 2007, Con Moong Cave was ranked as a national monument by the Ministry of Culture and Information (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism). In 2008, Con Moong Cave was surveyed in the field, preparing documents to build a World Cultural Heritage Profile.
Con Moong Cave relic. Photo: TL
During the years from 2010 to 2014, Con Moong cave and surrounding relics were excavated, resulting in a large amount of new material, providing much scientific evidence of cultural developments from 74,000 to 7,000 years ago on a 10.14m thick stratum.
In 2015, Con Moong Cave and its vicinity were ranked as a special national monument by the Prime Minister, and the plan for conservation, restoration and promotion of the monument's value was approved in 2020.
The Vu
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