(HBO) – The Hoa Binh provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has coordinated with the Centre for Southeast Asian Prehistoric Studies to conduct a study of stone carvings on Co Spring in My Thanh commune, Lac Son district. The carvings are linked with the old belief of residents in local mountainous areas in the past, home to many relics of the Hoa Binh Civilisation over 20,000 years ago.
A big stone carving with concentric circles on Co
Spring in My Thanh commune, Lac Son district.
So far, only two rocks with carvings have been
discovered, about 25m apart. Both are granite, relatively big - about 5 cu.m.,
and half-submerged on the eastern bank of Co Spring.
The first rock (Block A) features a relatively
large carving that measures 25 x 35cm. The carving was formed from concave
lines about 1.5cm in width and 0.7cm in depth, clearly showing a paunchy person
with arms up. On the top of the two arms are two concentric circles with dots
at the centre and the outer circles about 6 - 7cm in diameter. Concentric
circles were a popular motif of patterns on bronze objects of the Dong Son
Civilisation.
Located about 20 - 25m from Block A, to the
spring’s upstream part, is a little bigger rock (Block B) that features four
clusters of relatively similar carvings on its flat top. The patterns cover an
area measuring 40 x 60cm. Each cluster includes two concentric circles about 7
- 8cm in diameter atop, and an almost square shape with two concave holes like
two nostrils below.
About 50m from those two objects is another rock
with part of it rising above the ground. The exposed part is 125cm long and
60cm wide and, especially, features nine concave holes which are about 6 - 9cm
in diameter, inspiring the imagination of a fish.
Dr Nguyen Viet, Director of the Centre for
Southeast Asian Prehistoric Studies, said only two rocks with five carving
clusters have been found at the site. Three of the clusters have clear lines
while two others do not. However, their styles are relatively consistent and
have the common theme of animal-like human faces. The concentric circles,
bearing the decoration style of the Dong Son Civilisation, demonstrate eyes,
noses, and mouths in a relatively similar way. The carving on Block A is
particularly important since it is bigger and faces outwards.
Notably, the stone carvings show the
skillfulness of shamans in the past, he noted, adding it is hopeful that more
relics of ancient rituals will be discovered in nearby areas./.
Hoa Binh province has carried out multiple programmes and initiatives to revive its cultural heritage which has gradually fallen into oblivion through the ebbs and flows of history.
The most prominent and defining feature in the prehistoric era of Hoa Binh is the Hoa Binh Culture. The Culture was first discovered in Hoa Binh. The significant prehistoric culture represents not only Vietnam but also Southeast Asia and southern China. Through excavations of cave sites in the limestone regions of Hoa Binh, French archaeologist M. Colani introduced the world to a "Stone Age in Hoa Binh province – Northern Vietnam" in 1927. On January 30, 1932, the First Congress of Far Eastern Prehistorians, held in Hanoi, officially recognised the Hoa Binh Culture.
Known as the "Land of Epic History”, Hoa Binh province, the gateway to Vietnam’s northwest, boasts a strategic location and a unique cultural tapestry woven by its ethnic minority communities.
The People's Committee of Luong Son District recently held a ceremony to receive the certificate recognizing Sau Communal House in Thanh Cao Commune as a provincial-level historical and cultural site.
Recognising the importance of cultural heritage preservation in protecting and promoting the value system of Vietnamese culture, and serving socio-economic development in the new period, Party committees and local administrations in Hoa Binh province have identified it as a key task in the cultural development strategy. The province has been making efforts in mobilising resources, creating consensus among people and engaging ethnic communities in preserving and promoting cultural identity.
Hoa Binh province has captured growing attention both domestically and internationally for its distinctive cultural heritage and rich history. Most notably, it has been renowned for its famous Hoa Binh culture, considered the cradle of ancient Vietnamese civilisation. Looking ahead to significant milestones in 2025 and the 140th anniversary of province establishment in 2026, Hoa Binh Newspaper presents a comprehensive overview of the province's development across economic, social, cultural, tourism, and security domains.
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