A glance at Hoa Binh Civilisation: Stone Age traces at archaeological sites

12/11/2022 - 7:59:08 PM

(HBO) – The Stone Age lasted about 3.4 million years and ended around 8700 - 2000 BC. During this period, stone was widely used to create sharp-edged, pointed or single-sided hammer tools used in hunting and gathering.

Personnel from the Hoa Binh Museum and the Southeast Asian Prehistoric Research Center excavate at the Mai da lang Vanh relic site in Yen Phu commune, Lac Son district.

In 1965, at Tham Khuyen cave, Binh Gia district, Lang Son province, scientists found human teeth lying in red sediment containing bones of animals dating back from the Canh Tan period. These teeth have the characteristics of both human and ape teeth. This is solid evidence of a human-ape existence in Vietnam 300,000 years ago.

In 1984, in Ma Dieu cave, Ha Trung commune, Ba Thuoc district, Thanh Hoa province, archaeologists discovered more than 300 Paleolithic artifacts. From 1986 to 1989, thousands of stone artifacts were unearthed. In particular, 10 ancient tombs were found here.

According to Nguyen Viet, Director of the Southeast Asian Prehistoric Research Center, 108 stone artifacts and some animal bones were recovered at the relic of Trai hamlet, Tan Lap commune, Lac Son, in 1980. This was a cultural relic of the Hoabinhian which was rich in culture and artifacts. In May 1981, the Institute of Archaeology unearthed 1,150 artifacts, including stone tools, bones, pottery pieces, and rice grains. In addition, they also discovered an ancient path dating back thousands of years ago. In conclusion, the cave is a permanent residence, and a workshop for making tools of the Hoabinhian inhabitants, revealing a possible existence of a primitive wet rice farming area during the period.

The relic of Mai da lang Vanh in Vanh hamlet, Yen Phu commune, Lac Son, is a cave where a large number of shells were found, with 972 artifacts found in scientists’ related excavations. In 1929, archaeologist M.Colani discovered pieces of eight skulls there. The relic was believed to belong to the Hoabinhian, possibly dating back 17,000 to 8,000 years ago. M. Colani placed the site in the intermediate stage of the civilisation. With significant historical and scientific values, the cave was recognised as a national archaeological relic in 2004. In 2005, the Khai Ha festival of Yen Phu people was restored in association with the relic.

Hoa Binh - The land of epics and legends

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.”

Truong Kha temple festival 2025

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.

Women's clothing of ethnic minorities in Hoa Binh

The clothing of women reflects the culture of the Muong, Thai, Tay, Dao, and Mong ethnic groups in the northern province of Hoa Binh.

Hoa Binh’s cultural heritage: Muong Gongs, a timeless cultural treasure

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, promoting Muong cultural heritage: Upholding Muong culture into contemporary life

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.

Preserving essence of Muong culture: tradition meets modernity

The Muong ethnic culture, deeply rooted in Vietnam’s mountainous north, continues to be preserved and revitalised by dedicated individuals and communities determined to safeguard their ancestral identity.