Excavating the ancient Dai Huu tower, revealing the military base of the Tay Son dynasty

Dr. Pham Van Trieu, Vietnam Institute of Archaeology, presided over the excavation of Dai Huu tower ruins, reported the preliminary results of the second archaeological excavation of Dai Huu tower ruins in Cat Nhon commune, Phu Cat district (Binh Dinh).

Chiseling stone to create a flat surface to build a tower

Dr. Pham Van Trieu said that the excavation of the Dai Huu tower ruins in 2024 revealed the entire body of the tower, the eastern lobby foundation, the northern pedestal foundation, and part of the southern and western pedestal foundations.

Dr. Pham Van Trieu reports the results of the excavation of Dai Huu tower ruins in 2024

The excavation process discovered 156 stone artifacts with many different shapes and sizes. Regarding stone materials, there are three types: sandstone, granite and laterite. In particular, the artifacts with decorations carved on sandstone include the following types: altars, inscription fragments, stone earlobes, corner decoration stones, human reliefs, animal statues, lotus reliefs... The excavation process also discovered 522 terracotta artifacts (not including brick artifacts).

Many artifacts were discovered during excavation.

Regarding the architectural scale, through 2 excavations, the Dai Huu tower architecture has been revealed, with a square plan with specific dimensions as follows: The tower body has a plan with each side 9 m x 9 m long; the tower interior has a plan with each side 3.8 m x 3.8 m long; the tower base has a nearly square plan with each side 12.7 m x 13 m long.

Dai Huu tower foundation revealed during excavation

BINH DINH MUSEUM

The tower has an eastern entrance and a false door system. Compared to other Cham towers, Dai Huu tower has a large scale. It combines a large architectural scale and is located on the highest position of the mountain top.

According to Dr. Pham Van Trieu, the Dai Huu tower ruins were built on a mountain top with a rocky surface. Before building the tower, the Cham people chiseled rocks to create a certain level. Next, the workers added a thin layer of soil and compacted it, this layer stabilized the foundation and the level, then proceeded to build bricks and stones on top.

The tower foundation system uses many different materials: bricks, laterite, granite, and sandstone. Bricks play an important role, the tower base is built with many layers of bricks using the grinding method, bonded with a layer of mortar made from vegetable resin, the remaining trace of which is a thin layer of black resin still attached to the surface of the bricks.

Leaders of Binh Dinh Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and experts visit excavated artifacts at Binh Dinh Museum

"From the relics and artifacts, compared with the architecture of the Cham towers that have been excavated and studied, combined with the inscriptions that have been discovered so far, it is possible that the Dai Huu tower ruins date back to around the mid-13th century. During the excavation process, pieces of household pottery dating back to around the 17th - 18th century were discovered. These artifacts are associated with the Chanh Man citadel built by the Tay Son dynasty in the northeast at the foot of Dat mountain. Thereby, reflecting that in the late 18th century, the Dai Huu tower ruins area was an important military base of the Tay Son dynasty", Dr. Pham Van Trieu commented.

Need to protect and promote the value of ruins

Mr. Huynh Van Loi, Deputy Director of Binh Dinh Department of Culture and Sports, said that during the implementation and excavation process, there were some difficulties, but thanks to the smooth coordination of the agencies, the excavation of the Dai Huu tower ruins was very favorable. Binh Dinh Department of Culture and Sports closely monitored and directed this excavation, and the department's leaders also went to the site to inspect the excavation site.

Mr. Huynh Van Loi, Deputy Director of Binh Dinh Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, spoke at the reporting session.

According to Mr. Loi, the Department of Culture and Sports of Binh Dinh will temporarily suspend the archaeological excavation at the Dai Huu tower ruins, because with the results of the excavations in 2023 and 2024, there is a basis for research in the coming time, so the funds should be used to excavate other ruins. After that, the land will be restored to protect the ruins. At the same time, it is necessary to build a dossier to protect the ruins.

In the coming time, the Department of Culture and Sports of Binh Dinh requested the excavation host to continue researching and completing the publication of archaeological results, and to advise the Department of Culture and Sports on reclamation, protection and promotion of the relic. The People's Committee of Phu Cat District and the People's Committee of Cat Nhon Commune will coordinate with the Binh Dinh Provincial Museum to protect the Dai Huu Tower ruins, and to propagate to people to limit their visits to this ruins site, and to protect the ruins for promotion.

"Through the excavation process, the ruins have revealed foundations and valuable artifacts, much more valuable than other relics and towers in the area. For the artifacts that have been exposed and excavated, there must be a plan for preservation and research to include them in the system of Cham artifacts in the province. Binh Dinh Museum studies the excavation results and advises the department's leaders on the management and promotion of Dai Huu ruins. Report the results of the archaeological excavation in 2024 to the Provincial People's Committee before August 10," said Mr. Loi.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/khai-quat-thap-co-dai-huu-phat-lo-can-cu-quan-su-cua-nha-tay-son-185240731122606599.htm