Dak Nong archaeological exploration of Ta Dung cave

Field survey team at the excavation pits

The archaeological survey was conducted under Decision No. 751/QD-BVHTTDL, from April 20 to May 20, 2025, with a licensed area of 8m², including 3 excavation pits (H1: 2m², H2: 2m², H3: 4m²).

The archaeological site of Ta Dung cave is a secondary cave, formed by horizontal water erosion, completely different from the Krong No volcanic cave. The cave has a frog-jaw shape, the cave entrance is about 16m wide, 3-8m deep and 0.5-5m high.

After excavation, hole H1 in the cave will be preserved in its original state for further research, the remaining two holes will be restored to their original state. The collected artifacts will be brought to the laboratory for editing, classification and display and research in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Cultural Heritage.

This site was discovered in 2023 by MSc. Vu Tien Duc, Dr. La The Phuc and colleagues. Some initial research results were published at the 2024 National Archaeological Announcement Conference and in specialized journals.

Initial excavation results discovered 86 artifacts including stone tools, pottery fragments and especially traces of charcoal and ash - showing that this was once a place of residence and tool making for prehistoric residents, dating back about 3,000-3,500 years.

The objectives of the survey include determining the scope, age and nature of the relic, collecting artifacts for research, display and orientation of conservation and promotion of heritage values in the local socio -economic development strategy.

From inside the cave, looking far away, you can admire the beautiful panoramic view of Ta Dung Lake, with the blue water winding between hundreds of large and small islands in the middle of the lake, creating a majestic and poetic natural picture.

Three excavation pits were located at different locations in and around the cave. The excavation process strictly followed scientific procedures, dividing plots, digging layers, locating artifacts and recording stratigraphy. Pit 25.HTD.H1, located in the middle of the cave, was excavated to the 5th layer, discovering a number of archaeological artifacts such as flakes, raw stones, pottery fragments and ash. A sample of ash was taken for C14 dating analysis.

Dr. Truong Thi Hanh, Deputy Director of the Center for History, said that the survey of Ta Dung cave relic, although only conducted on a small area and stopped at the level of archaeological exploration, initially achieved very good results, establishing and adding a new archaeological relic to the Dak Nong UNESCO Global Geopark, Ta Dung National Tourist Area.

Pit 25.HTD.H2 is located on the outer edge of the cave, 0.9m deep, consisting of 10 layers. The surface layer is disturbed due to farming, but the cultural layer below is still quite intact. Pit 25.HTD.H3 is located above the cave, 9th layer deep. The cultural layer records traces of prehistoric human activities.

At the conference, Master Vu Tien Duc emphasized the special archaeological and cultural-historical value of this relic. Ta Dung Cave not only adds a new archaeological site to the Dak Nong UNESCO Global Geopark, but also opens up a direction for developing cultural-historical tourism products in the Ta Dung Lake area.

After excavation, pits H2 and H3 were completely filled in, while pit H1 was preserved in situ for further research. Collected artifacts were brought to the laboratory for processing, analysis and reporting in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Cultural Heritage.

Departments, branches and local authorities discussed and contributed ideas at the conference to develop a plan to preserve and promote the archaeological value of Ta Dung cave.

After conducting field surveys at the excavation pits, the conference initially recognized the important archaeological values of Ta Dung Cave. This opens up the potential for more extensive research in the future. This is an important scientific basis for developing a plan to preserve and promote the value of the relic, while also contributing to enriching the historical and cultural resources of the Dak Nong UNESCO Global Geopark area.

Source: https://baodaknong.vn/dak-nong-tham-do-khao-co-hang-ta-dung-251997.html