Zoning of archaeological relic protection areas in Dak Nong

Since 2005, the Provincial Museum, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism have coordinated with the Institute of Archaeology to conduct investigations and discover a number of archaeological sites in the province. Among them is the archaeological site in Village 8, Dak Wil Commune, Cu Jut District. Since then, four excavations have been conducted in this area.

Delegates visit archaeological site in village 8, Dak Wil commune, Cu Jut district

The first excavation took place in 2006, covering an area of 52 square meters. The results yielded more than 200 artifacts including stone tools, pottery, paleontological fossils, and thousands of flakes.

Overview of the workshop on unifying the zoning of archaeological relic protection areas in village 8, Dak Wil commune, Cu Jut district

By 2013, the second excavation was carried out on an area of 40m², collecting 8,486 artifacts, including labor tools, oval-shaped objects, scrap groups, stone materials, various types of pottery...

Ms. Khuc Thi Thoi, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Dak Nong province, emphasized that the work of zoning the protected areas of archaeological relics in village 8 is an important basis for developing a dossier to submit to competent authorities for recognition and ranking of relics.

In 2022, the third excavation continued with an area of 16m². Archaeologists collected 1,926 artifacts, including stone, ceramic, ochre and ammonite fossils.

Mr. Nguyen Van Lung, Director of the Provincial Museum, presented the plan to demarcate the protected areas of the archaeological site of village 8.

The fourth excavation took place in 2024, in the area adjacent to the 2022 exploration pit, with an area of 20m². The results obtained 939 artifacts such as ghe stones, chicken stones, stone cores, ochre, pottery, etc.

Mr. Vu Tien Duc, Institute of Social Sciences of the Central Highlands region, contributed comments related to the area of the zoned areas.

Through excavations, archaeologists determined that the village 8 site belongs to the Middle Neolithic period, discovered for the first time in Dak Nong province in particular and the Central Highlands region in general.

Mr. Nguyen Minh Tam, Chairman of Dak Wil Commune People's Committee, requested agencies and units to coordinate in developing a plan to protect artifacts found in the relic area of village 8.

After each excavation, the pit is kept intact with the underlying cultural layer, then filled back up using techniques to preserve the relics and serve in-depth research. This is an important basis for developing a dossier to submit to the competent authority for recognition and ranking of the relic.

Working delegation of Dak Nong province and the National Museum of History went on a field trip to the archaeological site of village 8, Dak Wil commune, Cu Jut district in April 2024.

After researching and consulting with experts, Dak Nong Provincial Museum proposed a plan to demarcate the relic. Accordingly, the total area of the relic protection areas is about 6,300m², including area I and area II.

Some artifacts found at the archaeological site of village 8, Dak Wil commune, Cu Jut district

In which, protection area I has a total area of 1,000m². This is the area with the original elements constituting the relic including: the 2022 exploration pit with an area of 4m² and the 2024 excavation pit with an area of 20m², ... need to be protected in its original state in terms of ground and space.

Protection area II has a total area of about 5,300m². This is the surrounding area, adjacent to protection area I, which is the area to promote the value of the relic to build parking lots, flower gardens, etc.