International cooperation in the conservation of the My Son World Cultural Heritage site.

A thousand-year-old mystery has been revealed.

According to Mr. Nguyen Cong Khiet, Deputy Director in charge of the My Son World Cultural Heritage Management Board, following the direction of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, from the beginning of June 2025 to the present, the Management Board has coordinated with the Institute of Archaeology (Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences ) to carry out archaeological exploration and excavation work covering a total area of 770m2 in the area between Tower K and the central group of towers in the My Son temple complex. This special operation has revealed more valuable traces, contributing to a clearer understanding of the sacred path in the My Son Sanctuary in history.
According to the description by the French archaeologist H. Parmentier in the early 20th century, Tower K is a single tower located quite independently from other tower groups in the northwest of the My Son valley. The tower was built on a wide, relatively high, flat area next to the Khe The stream. The K group consists of only one tower with its entrance oriented lengthwise from east to west.

According to Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Quy from the Institute of Archaeology, the excavation area is located within a long-standing forest to the east of Tower K, a relatively flat and open space extending from Tower K to the Towers E and F in the center of the My Son valley.

“After six months of diligent work by scientists and collaborators, many traces along the 170-meter-long road were unearthed in 2025, with mysteries gradually being unraveled. Scientists excavated and archaeologically surveyed over 132/170 meters and were truly surprised to discover that the road has a cross-sectional structure with an overall width of 9 meters and a roadbed width of 7.9 meters. The road surface is flat, composed of compacted sand, gravel, and broken bricks, with a thickness of 0.15 - 0.2 meters. The retaining walls on both sides of the road are made of rows of bricks, about 1 meter high, reinforced with a layer of compacted gravel and brick powder.”

Photo caption

Indian and Vietnamese experts held discussions before beginning the detailed restoration work on the historical site.

Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Quy emphasized that the results of the 2025 survey and excavation have added valuable documents to determine the religious function of the ruins as a sacred path – a path leading deities, kings, and Brahmin priests into the sacred space of My Son Sanctuary around the 11th-12th centuries to perform religious rituals...

Awakening the sacred path of a thousand years

According to Master's degree holder Nguyen Van Tho, Head of the Conservation Department at the My Son World Cultural Heritage Museum, archaeological exploration and excavation covering 1,010 square meters have been carried out over three field seasons from 2023 to 2025 in the area east of Tower K, aiming to clarify the architectural traces of the road leading from Tower K to the center of the My Son Sanctuary. Initially, scientists have clearly identified the location and function of this road.

Preliminary comparative studies have also noted that the sacred road, or ceremonial road, associated with newly discovered rituals at the My Son Sanctuary, is the only such road within the Champa cultural heritage system. Research has identified the road as approximately 170 meters long, extending from the eastern foot of Tower K to the western bank of a dry stream within the My Son Sanctuary. To date, archaeological work has clearly unearthed a 132-meter section of the road extending eastward from the foot of Tower K.

According to Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Quy, another noteworthy feature of the pathway, further clarified by this excavation, is the discovery of four gate traces on the southern section of the wall, while no similar gate traces were found on the northern section.
Another interesting point is that the end of the ancient road at the dry stream bank may raise the question of whether kings, princes, and priests had to cross this stream as a "purification" ritual before entering the ceremonial area. On the other hand, the area of the ancient road at the time of archaeological excavations in 2023-2025 was forested. Meanwhile, studies show that this area was previously a flat plain.

Regarding its age, based on the construction techniques of the road, especially the construction techniques of the wall sections within the overall architecture of Tower K, it can be inferred that the road dates back to the same period as Tower K, around the 12th century. The stratigraphic development of the site indicates that the road structure only existed during a specific cultural period and was soon forgotten after that period.

"The archaeological artifacts found date back to the 10th-12th centuries. Among them, glazed ceramics from the 10th-11th centuries of the Northern Song Dynasty and the 12th-13th centuries of the Southern Song Dynasty are quite common. However, their appearance at My Son may have been delayed to some extent. Overall, the sacred road – the road of deities, kings, and Brahman priests – likely dates back to the 11th-12th centuries," Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Quy explained.

During a field trip along the ancient road, Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Chi Hoang, Vice President of the Vietnam Archaeological Association and member of the National Council for Cultural Heritage, suggested that in the process of developing this ancient road into a tourism product, appropriate measures must be taken to respect the sacred space of the road. This would both preserve and enhance the value of the ancient road, avoiding overcrowding, degradation, and significant pressure on the route.

The discovery of the ancient road, forgotten for centuries underground, through archaeological excavations at My Son, has raised many interesting scientific issues. On one hand, it acknowledges the significant historical, cultural, and religious value of the My Son Sanctuary. On the other hand, the uncovering of this ancient road within the My Son temple complex – a globally significant heritage site – encourages scientists to continue researching and further clarifying the valuable historical, cultural, religious, and architectural values that remain shrouded in mystery within the ancient tower complex.

The mark of international friends who wholeheartedly dedicated themselves to My Son.

Every year, the My Son World Heritage Site in Thu Bon commune, Da Nang city, welcomes between 430,000 and 450,000 domestic and international visitors for sightseeing and research. Among this bustling crowd are experts and scientists from Poland, India, Italy, and Japan, who are working on the conservation and restoration of the tower complexes and excavating the ruins hidden underground, with the goal of preserving the core values of the site during the restoration and renovation process.

Dr. Patrizia Zolese, Director of the CM Lerici Foundation (Italy), shared: "Our main goal in the scientific excavation and cleanup of the ruins of the L tower group is to find authentic data to serve as a scientific basis. Based on that, we will propose measures to reinforce and protect the original architectural foundations of the L tower group in the most harmonious way, ensuring the principle of preserving the original value of the heritage site."

Currently, there are four international organizations involved: the Archaeological Survey of India (ARI) restoring the E and F towers; the Lerici Institute of Archaeology and the Revolutionary Foundation of Italy excavating the L tower group; Japanese experts surveying the surrounding geology and the archaeological site; and Polish experts using Lidar technology for mapping, cross-sectioning, and scanning stratigraphy to preserve the original elements in a robust manner, ensuring the authenticity and core value of the site.

Having been involved with the My Son World Heritage Site for many years, Mr. Danve DS, head of the Indian expert team, stated that the task of the Indian scientists, in coordination with their Vietnamese colleagues in 2026, is to focus on the urgent restoration of towers F1, F2, and F3. Initial findings during the scientific excavation and clearing of the ruins of tower groups E and F show that these tower groups were built on a foundation combining brick, wood, and tile architecture. The towers' structures are all built of brick, stacked on top of each other, with no visible mortar joints. We will apply this solution in the restoration process to best protect the original value of the monument.

International cooperation is one of the channels contributing to improving the effectiveness of conservation and promotion of the cultural, historical, and architectural values of My Son temples and towers. In 2025, My Son World Cultural Heritage site welcomed nearly 432,000 visitors, generating revenue of nearly 70 billion VND, approximately the peak revenue before the COVID-19 pandemic. To achieve this result, in addition to diversifying products, improving service quality, and promoting tourism, international cooperation plays a crucial role.

Mr. Nguyen Cong Khiet, Director of the My Son World Heritage Management Board, emphasized that after My Son was recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, scientists from Italy, India, and many other countries conducted research, excavation, and restoration. In particular, the cooperation program between the Vietnamese and Indian governments implemented over the years has yielded many positive results in the restoration and preservation of the tower complexes…

International cooperation plays a significant role in enhancing the effectiveness of conservation and promotion of the cultural, historical, and architectural values of the My Son World Heritage Site. The contributions of experts from various countries not only help preserve the core values of the site but also elevate the My Son temple tourism brand on the national tourism map.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/dia-phuong/hop-tac-quoc-te-trong-bao-ton-di-san-van-hoa-the-gioi-my-son-20260216180049074.htm