More than 1,000 artifacts uncovered during the excavation and restoration of towers in the world heritage site of My Son sanctuary in the central province of Quang Nam have been digitalised thanks to the assistance of experts from Italy and India.

Visitors at the My Son Sanctuary (Source: VNA)
Italian experts have worked with
technicians from the management board of the heritage site to digitalise the
artifacts, including statues, bricks and other objects used for the
construction of towers.
Head of the management board Phan Ho
said the digitalisation is one of the notable outcomes of international
cooperation efforts to protect the world heritage site.
Apart from the assistance of the Italian Government, experts from India have
been providing support to upgrade the towers, during which they discovered an
underground road and many valuable objects, he added.
All newly-found artifacts will be digitalised to make it easier for
preservation and restoration, he said.
My Son Sanctuary is located in a hilly landscape in Duy Phu commune, Duy Xuyen
district, about 70km southwest of central Da Nang city and 40km from Hoi An
city – another UNESCO heritage site in Quang Nam.
It comprises eight groups of 71 monuments built throughout the 7th -13th
centuries. The first construction of My Son dated back to the 4th century
under the reign of Bhadravarman for the worship of God Shiva-Bhadresvara. But
later on, the temple was destroyed.
At the beginning of the 7th century, King Sambhuvarman had it rebuilt and
rebaptised Sambhu-Bhadresvara. Each new monarch came to My Son after his
accession to the throne for the ceremony of purification and to present
offerings and erect new monuments, which explains why My Son is the only place
where Cham art flourished without interruption from the 7th to 13th century.
Source: VNA
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.