Efforts made to preserve, promote values of Hoa Binh Culture

11/1/2023 - 5:50:15 PM

(HBO) – Hoa Binh Culture – a Stone Age culture dating from 18,000 - 7,000 years ago, was discovered by Madeleine Colani - a French female archaeologist in 1926. In 1932, the first conference of Far Eastern pre-historicists meeting in Hanoi recognised the term "Hoa Binh Culture”, named by Colani, as a term to refer to an ancient culture that appeared and existed on territory of prehistoric Vietnam.

Tourists learn about Hoa Binh Culture artifacts at the provincial Museum.

The Hoa Binh Culture spread throughout Southeast Asia, but most found relics of the period are concentrated in Hoa Binh province with over 80 out of 150 relic sites found in Vietnam. The archaeological sites belonging to "Hoa Binh culture” are mainly located in clusters of caves or rock shelters. They have been discovered in Trai hamlet’s cave in Tan Lao district, Vanh hamlet’s rock shelter in Lac Son district, Cho cave in Luong Son district, Dong Thot cave in Lac Thuy district and Muoi cave in Tan Lac district.

Over the past years, the work of preserving and promoting the value of Hoa Binh Culture has received attention from Party Committees and authorities at all levels. Many archaeological relic sites of Hoa Binh Culture in the province have been ranked at the national level.

In 2022, the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the provincial Museum coordinated with the Institute of Archaeology, the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, and Centre for Southeast Asian Prehistory to conduct archaeological excavations at national relic sites: Vanh hamlet’s rock shelter and Trai hamlet cave. These are two typical archaeological relics of Hoa Binh Cultural in the province in particular and Vietnam in general.

With unique archaeological cultural values of a world-famous Stone Age culture in Hoa Binh, local authorities are making scientific documents asking for competent agencies’ recognition of the two relic sites as special national historical relic sites.

3.6 Billion VND Allocated to Preserve Traditional Cultural Values of Ethnic Minorities in Lạc Sơn District

As part of Project 6 under the national target program for socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas in 2024, Lạc Sơn District, Hoa Binh province focuses on diverse and practical activities to promote the project's goal: "Preserving and promoting the beautiful traditional cultural values of ethnic groups in conjunction with tourism development."

Mobilizing the power to preserve and promote the cultural heritage values

After 3 years of implementing Resolution No. 04-NQ/TU, dated October 11, 2021 of the Provincial Party Standing Committee on preserving and promoting the cultural heritage values of Hoa Binh province's ethnic groups in the period of 2021 – 2025 with the orientation to 2030 (NQ04), it has mobilized the participation of the entire political system, the people from all walks of life and there have been positive changes. So far, out of the 10 targets of NQ04, 3 targets have been met and exceeded the plan set for 2025. Typically, 70% of the intangible cultural heritage (ICH) of ethnic groups in the province is on the list of the national ICH items and they have been protected and restored, exceeding 20% of the proposed Resolution.