Ancient tombs have been vandalized, and valuable artifacts have been lost.

Grave robbery in Vietnam has been happening for many years, and a single tomb may even be robbed multiple times.

Báo Thanh niên•20/05/2025

Not only the tomb of King Le Tuc Tong

Associate Professor Bui Van Liem, Vice President of the Vietnam Archaeological Association, did not dare to make a specific statement about the value of the artifacts in the tomb of King Le Tuc Tong that was recently looted. "King Le Tuc Tong died young, so it's impossible to say now whether there were many or few valuable items. People of high social standing often possessed valuable artifacts, possibly made of precious metals or valuable burial goods. But until the excavation is complete, archaeology cannot answer whether there were many or few items, or to what extent they were valuable," said Associate Professor Bui Van Liem.

Ancient tombs vandalized, valuable artifacts lost - Photo 1.

The national treasure, the kneeling human-shaped lamp , was found in a Han dynasty tomb that had not yet been looted.

PHOTO: TL

Before the tomb of King Le Tuc Tong was looted in early May, there had been many previous tomb robberies. In early January 2025, the Truong Thai mausoleum of Lord Nguyen Phuc Khoat in Hue City showed signs of being dug up. Previously, this mausoleum had also been looted during wartime in search of valuables. The mausoleum of Empress Dowager Tu Du was looted in the 1980s. The Vinh Thai mausoleum, where the tomb of Lord Nguyen Phuc Khoat's wife is located, was looted in 1990…

The Vuon Chuoi archaeological site ( Hanoi ), with its collection of ancient tombs, was also looted throughout the period from 2010 to 2020. Thieves used metal detectors to search for traces and excavated burial artifacts from these tombs. This important archaeological site contains multiple cultural layers, from the late Phung Nguyen to the late Dong Son. "Early tombs like the Dong Son tombs are also frequently targeted by metal detectors," said Associate Professor Bui Van Liem.

Ancient tombs vandalized, valuable artifacts lost - Photo 2.

The tomb of King Le Tuc Tong was vandalized by thieves.

PHOTO: HAI NGUYEN

Associate Professor Bui Van Liem shared that, generally, royal tombs like those in Hoa Lu and Lam Kinh, Hanoi, are quite well protected, and looting is rare. Boat-shaped tombs also tend to remain intact and are rarely looted.

However, Han Dynasty tombs are often looted, especially in Bac Ninh and Hai Phong... "Depending on the tomb, some are even dug up and re-dug. People dig once but don't get everything, so they scavenge again a second time...", Associate Professor Dr. Liem said.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Dao Cuong signed Official Letter 2096 addressed to the People's Committee of Thanh Hoa province. In addition to requesting an assessment of the damage caused by the tomb robbery of King Le Tuc Tong, the Ministry requested strengthened measures to ensure security and safety for historical sites and artifacts. The document also requested that the public be encouraged to cooperate in detecting and handling violations.

The People's Committee of Thanh Hoa province has also issued a directive to all agencies, units, and local authorities throughout the province to strictly implement measures to protect cultural relics, especially the tombs of kings and lords, following the desecration of the tomb of King Le Tuc Tong.

The "Legend" of the Han Dynasty Tomb

Regarding ancient tombs, Associate Professor Bui Van Liem stated: "Han Dynasty tombs are most often looted because they frequently contain artifacts such as ceramics, incense burners, bowls, plates, and valuable titles."

Ancient tombs vandalized, valuable artifacts lost - Photo 3.

The group of grave robbers used detectors and excavators at the tomb of King Le Tuc Tong.

PHOTO: HAI NGUYEN

In his book, "The Secret of the Kneeling Man Lamp ," Swedish archaeologist Olov Janse recounts his experience of getting lost in Lach Truong, Thanh Hoa, one evening in 1935. He had a Song Dynasty porcelain household item in his possession and wanted to find more information about it. Eventually, he reached the area where the artifact was found. "We discovered the location where a part of the artifact had been found, a Song Dynasty tomb. However, a trial excavation revealed the field had been ransacked by antique thieves. There was nothing of significant archaeological interest. We left disappointed," he wrote in his archaeological diary.

Nevertheless, other elevated mounds along the way attracted Olov Janse's attention, causing him to turn back. From the moment he saw them, he recognized them as Han Dynasty tombs. After negotiating with the landowner to excavate, the first two tombs showed that the antiquities thieves had outrun the archaeologists. However, the third tomb remained untouched. His book revealed that even during shallow excavations, they discovered a large quantity of intact, mostly white, polished earthenware bowls, fired at high temperatures. These were all Chinese-made pottery.

The most remarkable feature of this tomb is a bronze lamp in the shape of a kneeling figure. The lamp was subsequently recognized as a national treasure in the first round of evaluation in 2012. The treasure records indicate that although the man is kneeling, he is not a person of low status, but rather a count or a saint. The S-shaped branches of the lamp are very naturally formed. This is reminiscent of the ancient Greek god who oversaw death and life, often depicted with branches stuck in his back.

According to Associate Professor Bui Van Liem, when archaeologists excavated, many Han Dynasty tombs were left with only the structure of the front, middle, and back chambers. However, these architectural remnants could also be invaluable gifts.

One such case is the "Hố Của" tomb in Quang Ninh. Information from the Southeast Asian Prehistory Center indicates that the top of this tomb was discovered around 1978 during house and road construction. Later, in 2002, during yard leveling, workers discovered two brick tombs. The tombs were subsequently excavated. A Chinese tomb expert, Dr. Yang Yong, confirmed upon visiting the tomb that it was a rare structure with nearly 100 different brick patterns. The bricks in the tomb have deep imprints, many with unusual characters, making the tomb even more interesting.

PENALTY FRAMEWORK FOR THE CRIME OF VIOLATING GRAVES

According to the Criminal Code, there are currently two penalty brackets for the crime of desecrating graves. Bracket 1: Non-custodial rehabilitation for up to 2 years or imprisonment from 3 months to 2 years if the act involves digging up or destroying graves, appropriating objects placed in or on the grave, or other acts that desecrate graves.

Frame 2 carries a prison sentence of 2-7 years if the crime falls under one of the following categories: affecting public order and social safety; appropriating or destroying objects of historical and cultural value...

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/mo-co-bi-xam-hai-hien-vat-quy-that-thoat-185250519233847405.htm