(HBO) – The Hoa Binh Civilisation is a renowned prehistoric one in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. Its relic sites have been discovered and studied in many periods in history by different teams and individuals.
Archaeologist Dr. Nguyen Viet are still
applying himself to the study of the Hoa Binh Civilisation.
The one who discovered and laid the foundation
for the research of the Hoa Binh Civilisation in the country was French
archaeologist Madeleine Colani. More than 20 studies of the civilisation by her
left a great imprint on archaeology in Vietnam and Indochina as a whole.
Following Colani’s findings, some Vietnamese and
international scientists continued studying this civilisation.
In the early 1960s, Prof. Dr. Boriscopski, a
Russian expert in the Old Stone Age from the Leningrad (Saint Peterburg) State
University of the then Soviet Union, came to Vietnam to help train the first
generation of the country’s archaeologists. He re-examined some caves that
Colani had discovered and excavated and also conducted excavations at Muoi and
Tam caves.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Dr. Chester
Gorman from the US carried out a research on the Hoa Binh Civilisation in
Southeast Asia. He was the first person to use screening to shed light on plant
traces of the civilisation and formulate a hypothesis about the practice of
agriculture in the Hoa Binh Civilisation. Gorman visited Vietnam and caves in
Hoa Binh from 1978.
A Japanese archaeologist who also greatly
contributed to the civilisation study was Nishimura Manasary, who had taken
part in some excavations in Thailand and then came to Vietnam in the 1990s to
research Trai Hamlet Cave. His findings were publicised at a conference marking
the 60th anniversary of the civilisation recognition in Hanoi in 1992.
Among Vietnamese archaeologists, the researchers
dedicating to the study include Assoc. Prof. Hoang Xuan Chinh, an expert in the
Stone Age and former Deputy Director of the Vietnam Institute of Archaeology.
He excavated some caves and published some articles and books about the Hoa
Binh Civilisation.
Another is Dr. Nguyen Viet, Director of the
Centre for Prehistoric Southeast Asian Studies, who was the first person to
apply screening and micro archaeological documentation to archaeological
studies in Vietnam in 1982, 1986 and 1987, regarding such caves as Trai Hamlet,
Vanh Village, Tre Hamlet, Muoi, Con Moong, Cang, and Sung Sam.
Luu Huy Linh, Deputy Director of the provincial
Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said aside from the abovementioned
scientists, others from many countries such asNepal, India, Thailand,
Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, and China have also studied the Hoa Binh
Civilisation.
After nearly one century of research, the Hoa
Binh Civilisation has always been a unique prehistoric civilisation attractive
to generations of archaeologists. Amid the science development nowadays, the
study of the civilisation promises many more mysteries to be revealed, he
added./.
Once a vibrant part of the daily life for the Muong ethnic group in Hoa Binh province, traditional Muong singing styles such as "thuong rang bo meng” and "hat dup giao duyen” had faded over time. Today, local authorities and communities are working to restore and celebrate this cultural art form, recognising its value in preserving the group’s heritage.
Gau Tao Festival, one of the most important traditional festivals of the Mong ethnic minority group in Mai Chau district was held at the Pa Co stadium in Pa Co commune on January 11.
The ancient stone engravings dating back thousands of years in Suoi Co valley in My Thanh commune, Lac Son district, used to astonished domestic archaeologists. What their meaning is and what message they convey are the questions to which scientists are seeking answers.
Preserving and promoting unique cultural identities of ethnic communities in Hoa Binh province is considered a crucial task amid in the international integration trend.
More than just a cultural and historical attraction, the Muong Cultural Heritage Museum is playing a vital role in fostering sustainable tourism in the Northwestern region of Vietnam, particularly in Hoa Binh province. It stands as a model for the emerging trend of "responsible tourism," cleverly blending the preservation of cultural heritage with community economic development, raising awareness of Muong ethnic cultural values while promoting green tourism and sustainable growth.
The provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism on December 24 organised a conference to report on the results of collecting, researching, restoring, and preserving "Bi doi”, a musical instrument of the airophonic family and a traditional instrument of the Muong ethnic people in Da Bac district.