This has led to many new hypotheses.

VHO - The results of excavations and new discoveries at group L have contributed to identifying the architectural value of a relatively late period, around the 13th century, at the My Son World Heritage site, expanding the architectural space of the temples and towers, and revealing the depth of history still hidden deep within the temple complex.

The excavation process of the L tower group.

The My Son World Cultural Heritage Management Board (My Son Management Board) has just released a preliminary report on the results of the second excavation project at the L tower group of the My Son temple complex (Thu Bon commune, Da Nang city).

The L tower group is situated atop a small hill, approximately 75 meters south of the BCD group. Similar to other later temple groups in the My Son valley, such as the H and G groups, the elevated position of the L tower provides a wide, panoramic view of the entire temple complex, creating a striking focal point within the overall landscape.

According to Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Quy (Institute of Archaeology), who led the second excavation of the L tower group, in 2019, geomorphological and geophysical surveys (non-invasive exploration) were conducted to map the architectural remains still lying underground before the excavation work began.

Thanks to maps obtained from magnetic exploration, the research team identified the presence of a large, rectangular brick wall enclosing the still-buried structures of the L group. The northern side of the wall was excavated, revealing an opening leading to structure L1.

Simultaneously, a second structure was discovered opposite the entrance to L1, consisting of a room with many pottery fragments and roof tiles lying on the floor, marked as structure L2; L1 and L2 lie on an east-west architectural axis and are surrounded by walls. “The L tower group presents a fascinating research challenge in explaining why this area has been neglected and overgrown with vegetation for over a century,” Mr. Quy said.

During the second excavation in 2025, with an permitted excavation area of ​​150m², experts opened new excavation pits and systematically removed layers of collapsed material inside and around the L1 structure to reveal architectural features and study the collapse sequence and transformation process of the monument over time.

Experts discovered numerous pottery fragments and various types of roof tiles lying on the ground and pathways surrounding L1. The excavation also revealed the destructive effects of nature and wartime bombs. The wooden roof structure, covered with tiles, collapsed in the early stages, and the walls subsequently crumbled primarily due to wartime bombs.

According to preliminary reports on the second excavation of the L-shaped tower in My Son, during the removal of the brick layer, several iron nails and pieces of rotten wood were discovered. These materials most likely originated from wooden components of the original roof structure of the building.

Their appearance provides important information about the construction techniques that were applied, especially the use of iron nails to connect the components in the wooden roof frame system.

The roof tile samples inventoried include those for towers L1 and L2.

A processed stone artifact was discovered resting on a layer of tiles near the edge of the excavation pit, hypothesized to be from a stone door frame. However, due to its location so close to the edge of the pit, it is difficult to determine whether the stone slab remained in its original position due to the roof collapse or was moved there at a later time.

Therefore, it can be assumed that the stone slab was moved to this location for a different purpose. This slab, along with the previously discovered stone pedestal, is clear evidence that the area belonging to group L, especially structure L1, was reused in the period after the Cham people left the site, the roof of the structure collapsed and it was simultaneously looted.

The current subsurface shows unevenness and inconsistency. The well-preserved eastern subsurface is identified as the original subsurface and matches the subsurface composition of the walkway surrounding the building.

Conversely, the western section shows numerous large and small patches of soil mixed with silt and sand, along with small fragments of broken brick, including fine brick particles. These patches are most likely traces of a period of renovation or resurfacing carried out while the building was still in use, involving the partial replacement of the original subfloor.

Based on initial findings, international experts and archaeological researchers have concluded that the L-shaped tower structures date back to a relatively late period, around the 13th century, and may have been in use until the early 14th century. This is the first time that the dating of architectural structures has been more clearly determined based on excavation results.

The results of excavations and new discoveries at the L tower group have contributed to identifying the value of late architecture at the My Son World Heritage site, expanding the architectural space of temples and towers, and creating a research and tourism destination for the community in the future.

It was also unanimously agreed that the existing brick structures and components in Group L need to be reinforced and stabilized to overcome the effects of time and war.

The entire L-shaped tower complex area needs to be protected in its entirety for the long term and sustainably, ready to contribute to and promote its value. Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Quy stated that professional activities at the artifact storage facility were carried out throughout the fieldwork of the expert delegation from Italy, mainly focusing on inventorying and researching artifacts obtained in all excavations to date.

After completing the research work on group L, both the excavated area and structure L2 were backfilled to ensure long-term protection of the site. The protective covering consists of a layer of plastic mesh, followed by about 15cm of sand and gravel, and finally a top layer of broken bricks to enhance protection against environmental impacts.

Structure L1 is covered with protective mesh and secured with heavy bricks. These conservation measures are in place to maintain the status quo and ensure the integrity of the monument until further research or restoration activities are undertaken.

During this excavation, research on artifacts discovered from previous excavations continues. The research and cataloging of artifacts recovered during the current excavation will be completed in the next phase of the project, expected to begin next year.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/van-hoa/dat-ra-nhieu-gia-thuyet-moi-158694.html