(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./.
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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