On July 31, at Binh Dinh Provincial Museum, a group of experts from the Vietnam Institute of Archaeology reported preliminary results of the second archaeological excavation of the Dai Huu tower ruins (Cat Nhon commune, Phu Cat district, Binh Dinh province).
Reporting on the excavation results, Dr. Pham Van Trieu - head of the excavation of the Dai Huu tower ruins, said that this excavation was conducted on an area of 300 square meters, from May 9 to July 10, 2024.
Artifacts collected during the excavation of the Dai Huu tower ruins. Photo: LD
The excavation results revealed the entire body of Dai Huu tower, the foundation of the eastern lobby; the foundation of the northern pedestal; part of the foundation of the southern and western pedestals. The excavation process discovered 156 stone artifacts of various 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 ears, decorative stone corners, decorative reliefs of human figures, animal statues, decorative reliefs of lotus petals... The excavation process also discovered 522 artifacts made of terracotta, not including brick artifacts.
Regarding the architectural scale, through two excavations (the previous excavation in 2023), the Dai Huu tower architecture has been revealed, with a square plan with the tower body measuring 9.8m x 9.8m on each side; the tower's interior has a plan of 3.8m x 3.8m on each side; the tower's base has a nearly square plan with each side measuring 12.7m x 13.0m on each side.
The tower has an eastern entrance and a false door system. Compared to other Champa towers, the Dai Huu tower has a large scale. Combining the large architectural scale and its location on the highest point of the mountain, it can be inferred that the architecture revealed in the excavation pit is the main tower (also known as Kalan).
This is the most important architecture in the Champa tower complex, considered as the place where gods reside. Therefore, inside the tower will be placed a statue of a Hindu or Buddhist god.
Dr. Pham Van Trieu commented: The ruins of Dai Huu tower, along with contemporary religious architectures such as Canh Tien, Phu Loc, Thu Thien, and the ruins of Mam tower, are large, beautifully decorated architectural works, reflecting a period of political stability, economic development, and increased religious needs in the history of the Champa kingdom.
The foundation of the Dai Huu tower ruins revealed after excavation. Photo: VH
"The presence of household ceramic pieces dating from the 17th - 18th centuries associated with Chanh Man citadel shows that the ruins were also an important military base of the Tay Son dynasty," said Dr. Pham Van Trieu.
At the excavation results report, Mr. Huynh Van Loi, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Binh Dinh, said that the Department 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 this ruin.
T.Toan
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/phat-lo-can-cu-quan-su-cua-nha-tay-son-o-khu-vuc-thap-dai-huu-binh-dinh-post305704.html
Comment (0)