At the foot of Ba The mountain - where the ancient "port town" appears
The morning in Hanoi was chilly, but the conference room where the heritage nomination dossier was finalized was warm because of the presence of many leaders of ministries, representatives of UNESCO Vietnam and many domestic archaeologists and historians. All met with the goal of bringing the Oc Eo - Ba The dossier to the highest international standards before officially submitting it to UNESCO.
Vice Chairman of An Giang Provincial People's Committee Le Trung Ho gave an opening speech with respect: "The province closely coordinated with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO and a team of experts to spend many years researching, collecting documents, organizing seminars and perfecting arguments on the outstanding global value of the heritage."
On November 17, 2025, UNESCO sent official comments on the dossier, which is the key basis for An Giang to enter the final stage of completion. Therefore, this conference is not only a summary but also a "turning point" to establish international standards for the entire dossier.
In the introduction, Dr. Nguyen Viet Cuong - Deputy Director of the Department of Heritage, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism stated that the conference is a step to bring Oc Eo - Ba The closer to the title of tangible cultural heritage of humanity. He emphasized the need to supplement a synchronous map, update the description of the heritage and fully demonstrate the unique archaeological structure of the region.
An excavated relic site. Photo: VIET TIEN
In the professional report, Dr. Truong Dac Chien - National History Museum, representative of the project drafting team, reiterated the core value of the relic site at the foot of Ba The mountain in Oc Eo commune and some other excavated areas in My Thuan commune as the most typical evidence of the Phu Nam civilization - a civilization that once played a central role in the Indo-Pacific trade space from the 1st to the 7th century.
Since the 1940s, archaeologist Louis Malleret (1901 - 1970, French) - one of the pioneers in research on Oc Eo culture, discovered a system of relics of special scale in the Oc Eo - Ba The area, including: canals, ramparts, residential areas, ports, temples, towers, and extensive urban traces. The artifacts found such as Hindu and Buddhist statues, gold molds, gemstone jewelry, Roman coins, Sanskrit and Pali inscriptions have identified Oc Eo as a "transcontinental" commercial and religious center. Dr. Truong Dac Chien described: "Each artifact of Oc Eo - Ba The is a piece of memory of a once bustling port city, where Indian, East Asian, West Asian and Mediterranean cultures met".
Underground, the remains of many structures are still intact, capable of proving their authenticity and integrity according to UNESCO requirements. An Giang has also established a legal corridor and strict planning to protect the archaeological site, while allocating funds to build shelters and temporary protection systems at excavation pits and important sites. This is an effort to preserve artifacts right at the scene, minimizing the impact of weather and humans. These measures contribute to ensuring that the heritage is not damaged during the research process and promoting its long-term value.
Two UNESCO criteria and the expectation of "awakening" heritage
At the conference, experts agreed: Oc Eo - Ba The meets two core criteria for nomination as a world heritage site. Criterion II - outstanding evidence of cultural exchange. The radiating canal system, interconnected ramparts, and ports facing the low-lying area of the West Hau River show that Oc Eo - Ba The was once a central connection point in the ancient trade network. The presence of precious metals, imported jewelry, and currencies from many cultural regions proves that this place has converged economic and cultural flows from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.
Criterion III - unique evidence of a vanished civilization. The Funan civilization was once a prosperous "sea kingdom" that disintegrated in the 7th century. However, Ba The and the Oc Eo relic system still preserve the complete structure of an urban area including: Residential area - temple tower - port - workshop - tomb, fully reflecting the social appearance of Funan.
Visitors look at Oc Eo cultural relics on display at the Relic Exhibition House. Photo: VIET TIEN
Historian Duong Trung Quoc suggested that An Giang build a large-scale museum to collect and display the Oc Eo archaeological artifacts. “We need a worthy space to tell the story of 1,500 years ago to the people and international friends,” he said.
In his directive speech, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Dao Cuong requested a strict explanation of the nomination criteria. The age factor, especially the age of urban formation and the age of canals, must be proven with convincing scientific basis.
Deputy Minister Hoang Dao Cuong also noted caution when mentioning the role of Oc Eo as the political center of Phu Nam: “This is still a topic that needs further research; the dossier referring to tangible heritage must be objective, honest, and based on archaeological evidence”. Another technical requirement is that the map system must clearly show the core area, buffer zone, and value layers according to UNESCO standards. This is the decisive part to ensure that the dossier is scientific and transparent.
Cherish the past
At the end of the conference, the biggest issue was not only preparing a complete dossier, but more importantly, the strategy to preserve, research and promote the value of Oc Eo heritage in the coming years. Because heritage does not lie in the statues or inscriptions. Heritage lies in the way each generation understands, appreciates and tells the story of a civilization that once shone in this land.
From the deep soil layer that still bears traces of ancient canals to each piece of burnt pottery, each piece of jewelry showing the sophistication of the Phu Nam people, all are waiting to be "awakened" by systematic conservation programs, interdisciplinary research and promotion associated with sustainable tourism. Mr. Le Trung Ho affirmed that An Giang will follow the direction of conservation combined with promotion, positioning "An Giang - the land of heritage" as a new cultural and tourism brand of the Southwest region.
With careful preparation, many conferences and scientific seminars held continuously for many years, and the support of central agencies and academics, the Oc Eo - Ba The relic dossier is closer than ever on the journey to reach the title of world heritage.
According to Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan Huong - Secretariat of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO, the Oc Eo - Ba The dossier will be considered by UNESCO in July 2027 at the 47th session of this organization. And when UNESCO recognizes, the value of the heritage does not only belong to a land. It is also a recognition of an important part of human history that was present in the Southern region of Vietnam - where people once built a brilliant coastal city.
UNESCO & Heritage Recognition Process UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization that coordinates the conservation and inscription of World Heritage Sites. Heritage appraisal agency: The registration of World Heritage is decided by the World Heritage Committee (consisting of 21 member countries), based on scientific advice from: ICOMOS appraises cultural heritage; IUCN appraises natural heritage; ICCROM provides technical advice on conservation. World Heritage registration process: The country prepares and submits the heritage dossier; ICOMOS/IUCN conducts field surveys, appraisals and makes recommendations; the World Heritage Committee discusses and evaluates the dossier; the registration decision is made by voting. Assessment principles: Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property; authenticity and integrity of the artifacts, structures, landscapes; legal framework and sustainable conservation and management mechanisms of the host country. Once listed, heritage must strictly comply with international conservation regulations and be subject to periodic monitoring by UNESCO. |
VIET TIEN
Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/hanh-trinh-danh-thuc-di-san-van-hoa-oc-eo-ba-the-a468299.html
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