Enhancing the value of special national monuments

Ranked as a Special National Monument by the Prime Minister under Decision No. 694/QD-TTg, dated July 18, 2024, the archaeological relic cluster of Hang Xom Trai, Muong Vang commune and Mai Da Lang Vanh, Yen Phu commune has affirmed the unique scientific value of the "Hoa Binh Culture". With a new development space after the merger of administrative units, the Prime Minister's approval of the Planning task for preservation, restoration and rehabilitation opens up a great opportunity for the locality to enhance the value of the relic.

From the center of Muong Vang commune, following the winding road, together with the staff of the commune's Department of Culture and Society, we went to Trai hamlet cave. Located on the slope of Khu Trai mountain, the cave entrance is more than 8m wide, allowing light to shine deep into the cave, outlining the primitive living space of prehistoric residents. Inside the protective iron bars is a reconstruction of the kitchen fire, the daily life of people during the Hoa Binh Culture period.

Officers of the Department of Culture and Society of Muong Vang commune introduce the Hang Xom Trai complex.

Xom Trai Cave has a cultural layer nearly 4m thick, preserving tens of thousands of cubic meters of shells, animal teeth, fireplaces, and tombs - evidence of continuous habitation for tens of thousands of years. According to archaeological documents, since its discovery in 1971 and first excavation in 1981, Xom Trai Cave has provided a special archive of documents on the life of primitive residents: stacked fireplaces, chiseling tools... Almond-shaped tools, oval tools, short axes, long axes... delicately chiseled from Muong Vang stream pebbles show that prehistoric people had mastered high-level crafting techniques. An important highlight is the tomb discovered in 2008 buried with chiseling tools and horn points. This is a valuable document for anthropological research, reflecting the cultural and religious exchange during the Hoa Binh Culture period. Xom Trai Cave is not only an archaeological site but also the pride of the Muong Vang community.

Leaving the Trai hamlet cave, we went to the Vanh village stone roof - where the French archaeologist M.Colani discovered and excavated in 1929. The large, airy stone roof, 64m above sea level, opened up a "giant sedimentary warehouse" with a 3.7m thick cultural layer. Here, archaeologists recorded a particularly rich number of artifacts: chiseled stone tools, bone-horn tools with axes, chisels, and sharp points; dense mollusk shells; animal bones; traces of a fire and a cluster of polished stone blocks showing the food processing and tool making activities of prehistoric people.

Together with Xom Trai cave, Vanh village stone roof has become the "core center" of the "Hoa Binh Culture" - where the most typical characteristics of tools, fireplaces, traces of residence and burials are preserved. The Prime Minister's approval of the ranking of a special National Monument for the relic cluster of Xom Trai Cave - Vanh village stone roof not only affirms the stature of the "Hoa Binh Culture" in the Southeast Asian archaeological picture, but also creates an important legal foundation for the province to expand investment, conservation and tourism connection.

Visiting the cave complex belonging to the Special National Monument with the delegation, comrade Pham Nga Viet - Deputy Head of the Department of Cultural Heritage Management (Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism) assessed: With the title of Special National Monument, it creates conditions for the province to build a comprehensive conservation project, promoting values ​​in the direction of linking scientific research with sustainable tourism development. Especially, in the context of merging administrative units, the re-planning of cultural - tourism space is even more important, contributing to creating a new highlight for the core area of ​​"Hoa Binh Culture".

Joy came to the cadres and people of the communes of Muong Vang area (former Lac Son district) when the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 2531/QD-TTg, dated November 19, 2025, approving the task of planning the preservation, restoration and rehabilitation of the special national archaeological site of Hang Xom Trai and Mai Da Lang Vanh, Phu Tho province. Accordingly, the scope of the planning study includes the entire administrative boundaries of 8 communes (Ngoc Son, Quyet Thang, Thuong Coc, Lac Son, Dai Dong, Yen Phu, Muong Vang and Nhan Nghia) with an area of ​​about more than 58,700 hectares. This area surrounds the formation and development space of the "Hoa Binh Culture" in Vietnam. The main objective of the planning is to preserve and maintain the special cultural values ​​typical of the residents of the "Hoa Binh Culture". Create a legal and scientific basis for the management, establishment and implementation of conservation projects, promoting the value of relics associated with tourism development. Determine the boundaries of the protected area, identify functional areas, organize landscape architecture space and arrange technical infrastructure suitable for the conservation stages. Turn the relic into a research center on "Hoa Binh Culture" of the region and the world, an attractive tourist destination and experience, contributing to the development of the local socio-economy. The People's Committee of Phu Tho province is responsible for allocating capital, selecting consulting units and organizing planning, while ensuring the collection of opinions from the community, experts and scientists. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is the agency in charge of appraisal and submission to the Prime Minister for approval according to regulations.

In the long-term strategy, the goal is to turn the Hang Xom Trai - Mai Da Lang Vanh relic cluster into an important highlight of the "Returning to the Source of Hoa Binh Culture" tourist route, associated with the identity of Muong Vang, connecting spiritual and ecological tourist spots in the area.

Tens of thousands of years have passed, but in the layers of shell sediments, in the chiseled stone pieces or ancient fireplaces, the footsteps of prehistoric inhabitants still echo. Honoring and enhancing the value of the Special National Monument is not only to preserve the past, but also to affirm the position of the culture that once made Vietnam famous - Hoa Binh Culture. Local officials and people hope that, when properly invested, the Special National Monument will not only be a site for archaeological research but also become a place for traditional education, attracting domestic and foreign tourists. The heritage preserved today will become a priceless asset for the future, when cultural resources are invested in for sustainable development so that the "Hoa Binh Culture" will last forever.

Huong Lan

Source: https://baophutho.vn/nang-tam-gia-tri-di-tich-quoc-gia-dac-biet-243652.htm