Residents of Muong Co village in My Thanh commune, Lac Son district have been delighted to learn that the ancient rock carvings at the local Co stream were officially designated a provincial-level archaeological site.
A display of
the newly designated provincial archaeological site of ancient rock carvings at
Suoi Co, exhibited at the My Thanh People's Committee.
Emphasising the significance of the site, Bui
Van Toi, Vice Chairman of the communal People’s Committee, said Muong Co is an
ancient land with a long-standing history of human settlement. The central area
of the site was once a dense forest, surrounded by rolling hills. The rock
engravings were discovered during local agricultural activities.
Co stream stretches approximately six kilometres
from Mount Voi through several hamlets – Chum, Ram, Co Giua, Vo Co, and Bui
Ruong – before emptying into Canh Tang lake. Surveys and research in the area
uncovered two engraved rock formations roughly 25 metres apart. A further
granite boulder was later identified, partially buried in the ground.
Preliminary assessments by archaeologists
suggest that the carvings date back to Vietnam’s prehistoric and early historic
periods, approximately 2,000 years ago.
Among the three, one prominent hexagonal stone
features a large carving with clearly defined incisions, including a stylised
figure with an exaggerated belly, arms raised skyward. Above each arm are
concentric circles with central dots – motifs characteristic of Dong Son bronze
culture. The second rock features four distinct sets of similar carvings, while
the third resembles a fish, marked by nine concave holes, referred to locally
as the "doong stone."
According to local tradition, annual rituals are
conducted at a small shrine located about 100 metres from the carved stones.
Dr Nguyen Viet, Director of the Centre for
Southeast Asian Prehistory, said from an archaeological perspective, these rock
carvings represent one of the rare traces of artistic and technical expression
in the prehistoric–early historic era. They indicate a significant cognitive
leap in how ancient communities in Hoa Binh’s heartland engaged with their
natural surroundings by turning natural stone surfaces into artificial spaces.
Bui Thi Dien, head of the women’s union in Ram
hamlet, added that like many here, she recognises the responsibility to
preserve the site and protect its surroundings, maintaining their natural
state.
Nguyen Thi Linh Ngoc, Deputy Director of the
provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, noted that the site holds
considerable value for research on Vietnam’sand even the world’s
prehistory. She stressed the importance of ongoing preservation and called for
expanded surveys to uncover further rock art in surrounding areas to ensure no
ancient heritage is left undocumented.
As a land deeply intertwined with human history and Vietnam’s millennia-long journey of nation-building and defence, Hoa Binh is often revered for its epic tales and legends.
Residents of Hoa Binh boast a rich cultural identity, reflected in their unique language, traditional attire, customs, and folk melodies – described as "sweet as honey, clear as a mountain stream.”
Lac Son district’s Vu ban town held the 2025 Truong Kha temple festival on April 12–13 (the 15th–16th days of the third lunar month). Since its revival in 2019, the festival has been organised every three years, preserving valuable intangible heritage while meeting the community’s cultural and spiritual needs.
The clothing of women reflects the culture of the Muong, Thai, Tay, Dao, and Mong ethnic groups in the northern province of Hoa Binh.
Gongs hold a special place in the cultural and spiritual life of the Muong ethnic people in Hoa Binh province. More than musical instruments, they are an indispensable part of community rituals and collective memory, echoing through generations as a spiritual thread linking the past, present, and future.
Preserving and promoting the cultural values of the Muong ethnic group has become an urgent task in the current context, as many traditional values face the risk of fading away. This effort requires not only protecting the cultural identity but also eliminating outdated customs and developing a modern cultural lifestyle, contributing to sustainable values for the Muong community in Hoa Binh province.
