Archaeologist reveals secret of ancient ship in Hoi An, Da Nang wants to salvage before December

Regarding the fate of the ancient ship that has been lying at sea in Hoi An for many weeks, the Hoi An World Cultural Heritage Conservation Center said that if approved, the ship will be brought up before December, and the technical work will be completed by the end of the first quarter of next year.

The wooden structure of an ancient ship is floating in Hoi An sea - Photo: BD

On the morning of November 20, the People's Committee of Da Nang City, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Da Nang City, along with archaeological experts and conservation units, sat down at a seminar to discuss the plan to excavate and salvage the ancient ship that surfaced in Hoi An sea from November 8 until now.

Ancient ship could be a 'priceless treasure'

Presenting a preliminary report on the current status of the ancient ship that appeared at Hoi An beach from November 8 until now, the leader of the People's Committee of Da Nang City said that this is the first time an ancient ship relic that is almost intact has been discovered in Da Nang.

The site where the relic was discovered is located in the space of the international commercial port city of Hoi An - a World Cultural Heritage - where hundreds of years ago foreign ships as well as ships from domestic localities crowded to trade; contributing to demonstrating the role of Hoi An port city in the international trade network.

In recent times, many units have implemented initial research measures. However, the conservation of archaeological relics is a complex field, requiring specialized knowledge, modern techniques and the participation of scientists.

The leader of the People's Committee of Da Nang City said that any assessment to propose excavation solutions must be extremely careful, anticipating all cases to aim at preserving the authenticity and longevity of the relics.

According to the Hoi An World Cultural Heritage Conservation Center, it is urgent to excavate and salvage the ship to bring it to land for preservation and research.

This unit said that if approved by the authorities, the excavation will begin in December.

From the beginning of 2026, preservation solutions will begin to be implemented, salt washing, protective workshops will be built, and then in-depth research will be conducted. Procedures from excavation to conservation will involve the participation of specialized agencies, ensuring a complete and rigorous scientific record.

Mr. Nguyen Su - former Secretary of Hoi An City Party Committee - spoke at the discussion on the morning of November 20 - Photo: BD

Vietnam Institute of Archaeology: Ancient ship has special value

In the initial assessment of the ancient ship relics, Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Quy - Institute of Archaeology, said that the ancient ship relics have special value because they are located in the context of the boat culture of Quang region, and are existing evidence of culture.

The excavation results will clarify many issues about the artifacts. From there, it will help determine whether this is an inland boat, a fishing boat or a merchant ship; providing valuable information about the history of the ancient commercial port of Hoi An.

At the same time, the excavation will also have an additional typical artifact on display to introduce to tourists. Mr. Quy proposed to build a master plan from excavation to urgent preservation, protection, research... to promote the value of relics associated with the context of the ancient urban area of ​​Hoi An.

The ancient ship has been lying on the coast of Hoi An since late 2023 - Photo: BD

Ms. Lam Thi My Dung, University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Hanoi National University), said that through reports and initial assessments, it can be assessed that this is a relic of great value.

"In the immediate future, we should excavate a part of the site because in the current changing environmental and climate conditions, it will be very difficult. And we can continue excavating after moving it to a preservation site, we can apply specialized excavation and preservation techniques and promote the display value" - Ms. Dung suggested.

Dr. Nguyen Van Viet - Director of the Southeast Asia Prehistory Center - believes that it is necessary to have a Vietnamese ship museum. Da Nang and Hoi An will be the first "flags" to pioneer its formation.

According to Mr. Nguyen Su - former Secretary of Hoi An City Party Committee - it is necessary to excavate the ancient ship to research and clarify the value of the ceramic road, the silk road, and shipbuilding techniques that existed in history...

In particular, the research results will also provide information on the transformation of the Hoi An area, the process of accretion and erosion of the sea. This will be a lesson on how to behave in harmony and rely on nature.

As reported by Tuoi Tre Online , on November 8, an ancient ship suddenly appeared intact in the sea of ​​Hoi An after storm No. 13. This is the ship that was revealed at the end of December 2023 and then buried by the sea sand. The authorities have invited units to make an initial assessment and said that the ship dates from the 14th - 16th centuries.

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Thai Ba Dung

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/chuyen-gia-khao-co-hoc-tiet-lo-bi-mat-con-tau-co-o-hoi-an-da-nang-muon-truc-vot-truoc-thang-12-20251120125619779.htm