(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./.
On February 12th (i.e. Lunar January 15), the People's Committee of Hop Tien commune, Kim Boi district organized the Festival of Sim Pagoda Festival in At Ty Spring, 2025. The festival welcomed many people and tourists to visit the pagoda and enjoy the scenery.
The palanquin procession to Sim Pagoda.
As Hoa Binh province is set to host 115 spring festivals, local departments, sectors and localities are joining hands to ensure safety for the events.
In many major cultural events in Hanoi, the sound of the Muong people's gongs has become a special tone, contributing to the unique harmony that praises the cultural values accumulated over thousands of years along with the sacred soul of the capital city.
On the first day back to work and school after the Lunar New Year holiday, thousands of female officials, civil servants, and students from grade nine and above in Lac Son district proudly wore the traditional Muong attire. The vibrant brocade patterns created a striking cultural display, reinforcing the community's commitment to preserving and promoting their heritage.
The provincial-level Khai Ha festival 2025 of the Muong ethnic minority group took place at Phong Phu commune’s stadium in Tan Lac district of Hoa Binh province on the morning of February 5 (the 8th day of the first lunar month of the Year of the Snake).
"Xuong Dong” (going to the field) festival opened in Yen Phu commune of Hoa Binh’s Lac Son district on February 5, or the eighth day of the Year of the Snake, drawing thousands of locals and visitors to partake in a variety of activities.
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