Relics of the king and queen tell the story of life in the capital city of Thang Long.

From organizing millions of artifacts and processing complex archaeological data to deciphering the architecture and belongings of kings and queens lost over centuries, the mysteries of royal life, culture, and the architectural forms of palaces during the Ly and Tran dynasties, and the Kinh Thien Palace during the early Le dynasty - the "soul" of Thang Long capital - are gradually being revealed...

Decorative materials for palace roofs and wells from the Ly Dynasty were discovered in the National Assembly construction area, 2008-2009. Photo: Institute of Imperial City Studies.

As a vivid testament to a thousand years of cultural history, Thang Long Imperial City was known as the country's major political , economic, and cultural center throughout many dynasties. However, today, the glorious traces of this land are only silent remnants, scattered fragments found beneath the ground.

The Thang Long Imperial Citadel is an important part of the Thang Long capital, with architectural remains of palaces and pavilions, along with millions of archaeological artifacts discovered through large-scale historical excavations from 2002-2009 at 18 Hoang Dieu and the area where the National Assembly building was constructed. These discoveries have revealed the glorious history of the Thang Long capital more than a thousand years ago, from the Ly, Tran, early Le, Mac, and later Le dynasties.

Clarifying the architectural form of the palace.

Looking back at the 15-year journey of the "Revision, research, value assessment and scientific documentation of the Thang Long Imperial Citadel" project, from 2011-2025, researchers have persistently and diligently deciphered the mysteries of the Thang Long Imperial Citadel from archaeological remains.

Dr. Ha Van Can, Director of the Institute of Archaeology, commented: "These achievements form the foundation of scientific knowledge, contributing to deepening and clarifying the outstanding global value of the Thang Long Imperial Citadel heritage site, bringing that value to the public."

The most outstanding and important achievement in the research of the Thang Long Imperial Citadel is the deciphering of the mysteries surrounding the palace architecture – the "soul" of the Thang Long capital – after thousands of years of being lost to history.

Architectural foundation remains of a Ly Dynasty palace have been discovered at Thang Long Imperial Citadel.

At 18 Hoang Dieu Street and the area where the National Assembly building was constructed, archaeologists discovered a complex of 53 architectural foundation remains, 7 wall foundations, and 6 underground wells. This discovery confirmed the existence of the magnificent Thang Long capital under the Ly Dynasty and is considered the most important archaeological find in Vietnam. As a result, in October 2010, Thang Long Imperial Citadel was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Each layer of soil, each architectural trace, each archaeological artifact… holds the mysteries of the history of Thang Long Imperial Citadel – a place where Eastern court architectural culture, deeply rooted in Vietnamese identity, converged, inherited, and developed.

Dr. Ha Van Can, Director of the Institute of Archaeology

From 2011 to 2014, the Institute of Imperial City Research (now the Institute of Archaeology) re-investigated, excavated, and discovered many new scientific issues, clarifying the nature, age, and function of the architectural relics unearthed since 2004. Through the results of that research, a comprehensive system of architectural floor plans of the Ly Dynasty palaces was established.

From here, research into the architectural forms of the Ly Dynasty palaces began through the analysis of the function and techniques of various types of roof tiles, wooden components, and traces of architectural foundations. This discovery is considered the "golden key" to finding the bracketed roof structure – an extremely complex roof support and decoration technique, demonstrating the masterful construction skills of previous generations.

Research on 3D reconstruction of the bracket system structure.

In 2014, the Imperial Citadel Research Institute successfully reconstructed the architectural form of the Ly Dynasty palaces using 3D technology. Between 2015 and 2020, the Institute continued its research and comprehensive reconstruction of the architectural form of Thang Long Imperial Citadel. A complete picture of the palaces and pavilions of the Ly Dynasty is gradually being recreated based on archaeological remains.

Associate Professor, Dr. Tong Trung Tin, President of the Vietnam Archaeological Association, affirmed: "This excavation has unprecedented scientific value in the history of Vietnamese historical archaeology."

Through the stories behind each artifact, the public will gain a clearer understanding and appreciation of the unique, magnificent, and mysterious beauty of the ancient Thang Long Imperial Palace architecture.

According to Dr. Ha Van Can, each layer of soil, each architectural trace, each archaeological artifact… contains the mysteries of the history of Thang Long Imperial Citadel – a place where Eastern court architectural culture, deeply rooted in Vietnamese identity, converged, inherited, and developed.

Decoding life in the ancient Thang Long Imperial Palace through historical "fragments"

Upon discovering fragments of pottery, porcelain, and earthenware underground, archaeologists assessed the role and function of these items in the daily life of the ancient Thang Long Imperial Palace. However, the process of researching, classifying, and organizing archaeological artifacts always requires meticulousness and perseverance. The key issue at this point is to determine the type, function, age, and origin of production of each artifact.

To solve this "problem," the Institute of Imperial City Studies conducted in-depth comparative research, developing a system of scientific terminology and characteristic criteria for dating and origin. The results revealed many groundbreaking scientific discoveries, providing vivid evidence and deepening insights into the life, culture, religion, society, and economic interactions of Thang Long Imperial City throughout the dynasties.

Dr. Ha Van Can, Director of the Institute of Archaeology, assessed: "In-depth analysis of Vietnamese and imported ceramics not only vividly recreates the material life and rituals within the Imperial Palace, but also affirms Thang Long's diplomatic and trade position within the Asian network. These achievements form the foundation of scientific knowledge, contributing to a deeper understanding and clearer recognition of the outstanding global value of the Thang Long Imperial Citadel heritage site, bringing that value to the public."

These fragments of blue and white porcelain bowls and plates belong to the Hizen pottery line of Japan, produced during the Edo period.

Authentic Ly Dynasty porcelain is considered one of the most significant scientific discoveries in the "deciphering" of life in the ancient royal court. Archaeologists have found types of porcelain of excellent quality, comparable to Song Dynasty Chinese porcelain. These fragments of porcelain are compelling evidence that the history of porcelain invention in Vietnam dates back to the Ly Dynasty.

Furthermore, research on discarded pottery and production tools has provided additional evidence about the history of high-quality ceramic production at the Thang Long royal kiln. This place specialized in crafting various items for the royal court for nearly six centuries, under the Ly, Tran, early Le, and Mac dynasties.

By delving into the study of ceramics bearing Chinese characters, researchers have analyzed and deepened their understanding of the value of items used in the Truong Lac Palace and Thua Hoa Palace. Based on three criteria: dragon motifs, the characters "Quan" and "Kinh," along with superior quality and grade, the ancient ceramics research team has proven that all high-grade ceramic products from the early Le and Mac dynasties, decorated with dragon motifs and containing the characters "Quan" or "Kinh," were products of the Thang Long royal kilns and were used by the emperor.

A Chinese celadon ceramic jar, produced at the Longquan kiln during the Yuan Dynasty, has been discovered.

From these historical "fragments," imported ceramics from that era were also discovered. Ceramics from West Asia and countries such as China, Japan, and Korea were brought to Thang Long via trade routes. Collaboration with Chinese ancient ceramics experts to determine the age and origin of the collections helped identify many rare products produced by famous kilns such as: Dinh kiln, Hinh kiln (Hebei); Dieu Chau (Shaanxi); Thanh Son, Ho Tu (Hubei); Tay Thon, But Gia Son (Guangdong); Chuong Binh, Duc Hoa, Kien Dieu, Man Hau, Phuc Thanh (Fujian); Long Tuyen (Zhejiang); Ho Dien, Lac Ma Kieu (Jingdezhen)...

These findings have contributed to shedding more light on the types of items and objects reserved for the king and queen, reflecting the power and opulent lifestyle of the emperors. At the same time, they help to further demonstrate and explain the extensive cultural and economic exchanges of Thang Long capital throughout history.

Finding ways to "revive" heritage.

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Minh Tri, former Director of the Institute for Imperial City Research, although there have been groundbreaking research achievements on Thang Long Imperial Citadel, developing these achievements still faces many challenges.

Ancient capitals in East Asia, such as Japan, South Korea, and China, have received substantial and meticulous research, gradually restoring their heritage based on scientific research, especially archaeology. This has transformed archaeological sites into "living museums," becoming a renowned resource for national tourism development. Meanwhile, the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, after more than 20 years since its excavation, remains largely an archaeological site with most of its remains buried underground within a bustling urban area.

"This creates a dual challenge: how to both preserve the original state of valuable relics and effectively interpret, recreate, restore, and promote their value, using scientific research results as a foundation to gradually 'revive' heritage and turn it into a resource for developing the heritage economy," Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Minh Tri commented.

The study on the reconstruction of the Kính Thiên Palace is based on archaeological evidence from the Thăng Long Imperial Citadel.

Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Minh Tri believes that breakthrough investments are needed in scientific research, heritage restoration and preservation, building digitized databases, applying technology, and investing appropriately in the publication of research results.

"Archaeological research must be considered the core foundation. Therefore, it is necessary to increase funding and interdisciplinary human resources (archaeology, architecture, 3D technology) to promote research on deciphering and implementing restoration projects (reconstruction based on solid scientific evidence) and revival (bringing heritage back to its function/meaning in contemporary life) in a vibrant and well-founded manner," Mr. Tri said.

This will address the current situation where promoting heritage values ​​is still primarily focused on on-site exhibitions, without strongly exploiting the heritage economy model as in advanced countries.

Simultaneously, it is necessary to build a comprehensive digitized database by applying modern technologies such as GIS, 3D scanning, and AI. This will provide a solid foundation for carrying out 3D reconstruction projects (both physical and digital models) to recreate the appearance of the former imperial capital.

During the Ly Dynasty, popular roof tiles featured Bodhi leaf motifs and were decorated with dragon and phoenix figures. (Photo: Tin Tuc Newspaper)

In addition, investment is needed in compiling and publishing the research results of the project in the form of specialized books, contributing to the widespread and sustainable dissemination, education, and promotion of the heritage site's value.

In the context of rapid technological development, the picture of Thang Long Imperial Citadel's heritage on digital platforms needs to be gradually built. Mechanisms to encourage and facilitate the participation of scientific organizations and private enterprises in researching and developing the economic value chain of the heritage also need to be established. Only then will Thang Long Imperial Citadel truly be "awakened," not only historically but also economically, becoming an attractive heritage destination in the region and around the world.

Source: https://znews.vn/di-vat-cua-nha-vua-vuong-hau-ke-doi-song-kinh-do-thang-long-post1601357.html