(HBO) – Hoa Binh province is an ancient land where humans came to reside from very early periods. The Hoa Binh Civilisation was discovered in 1926 by Madeleine Colani, a female archaeologist of France. In 1932, it was recognised by the world and officially took its name.


 

The provincial Museum and the Centre for Prehistoric Southeast Asian Studies carry out an excavation at the Vanh Village stone shelter, an archaeological site in Yen Phu commune of Lac Son district.

The Hoa Binh Civilisation scattered across mainland Southeast Asia. Its vestiges concentrate in Hoa Binh province, where a rich diversity of artefacts have been found, with stone tools being the most typical. The province was the first place to discover and also boasts the biggest number of important and typical relics and material traces of the civilisation.

In her first excavations in the early 20th century, Colani found numerous prehistoric vestiges in limestone mountains of the area which is now Hoa Binh province, including those at Oc cave (Luong Son district); Chieng Khen cave (Man Duc and Tan Lac districts); the Vanh Village stone shelter and Trai hamlet cave (Lac Son district); Da Phuc, Phu Luong and Dong Noi caves (Yen Thuy district); and Oc and Sao Bay caves (Kim Boi district).

During 1960 - 1964, Russian Professor Boricopski instructed his students, the first generation of archaeologists of Vietnam, to excavate and re-examine many caves dating back to the Stone-Age civilisation such as Tam, Muoi and Bung caves.

In the early 1980s, notable excavations included those by Dr. Nguyen Viet, Director of the Centre for Prehistoric Southeast Asian Studies, at the Trai hamlet cave in 1982 and 1986, and by Bulgarian experts at Can cave in 1987, opening up the possibility for collecting fruit seed traces – a more trustworthy material for radiocarbon dating than snail shell or animal bone. Based on these vestiges, relic sites of the Hoa Binh Civilisation in the province were found to be more than 20,000 years old.

After a number of valuable findings at local archaeological sites from 2000, Dr. Nguyen Viet declared that the early core centre of the Hoa Binh Civilisation was the system of valleys surrounding the Kim Boi basalt/granite mountain complex, mostly typically Muong Vang valley with such sites as Trai hamlet cave and Vanh village stone shelter.

So far 80 archaeological sites of the Hoa Binh Civilisation have been discovered in the province. In 2022, the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism coordinated with Dr. Nguyen Viet to conduct another excavation to gain a further insight into Trai hamlet cave and Vanh village stone shelter.

Existing tens of thousands of years ago, the presence of this civilisation can still be found across Hoa Binh province, becoming a source of pride and precious heritage of Vietnam.

 


Related Topics


Hoa Binh’s cultural heritage: Muong Gongs, a timeless cultural treasure

Gongs hold a special place in the cultural and spiritual life of the Muong ethnic people in Hoa Binh province. More than musical instruments, they are an indispensable part of community rituals and collective memory, echoing through generations as a spiritual thread linking the past, present, and future.

Preserving, promoting Muong cultural heritage: Upholding Muong culture into contemporary life

Preserving and promoting the cultural values of the Muong ethnic group has become an urgent task in the current context, as many traditional values face the risk of fading away. This effort requires not only protecting the cultural identity but also eliminating outdated customs and developing a modern cultural lifestyle, contributing to sustainable values for the Muong community in Hoa Binh province.

Preserving essence of Muong culture: tradition meets modernity

The Muong ethnic culture, deeply rooted in Vietnam’s mountainous north, continues to be preserved and revitalised by dedicated individuals and communities determined to safeguard their ancestral identity.

Preserving Muong community’s identity – Journey from tradition to modernity: Part 1 – Exploring Muong culture region

The Muong group is one of the largest ethnic minorities in Vietnam, primarily found in Hoa Binh province. The Muong people in Hoa Binh boast a rich and diverse cultural treasure that reflects the unique identity of this ethnic group. Accounting for over 63% of the province's population, they have created and preserved numerous distinctive cultural values, contributing to their unique identity. Their cultural heritage is an invaluable asset, at the heart of their national identity, and represents a vibrant spiritual life that must be preserved and promoted in today’s modern world.

Traditional festivals of Hoa Binh: A rich cultural heritage

For generations, the ethnic communities of Hoa Binh province, particularly the Muong people, have preserved vibrant festivals deeply intertwined with the region’s geography, nature, and social traditions. These celebrations enrich Hoa Binh’s spiritual life and cultural identity, reflecting both folk beliefs and the intermingling of ethnic customs. Many of these festivals have endured the test of time, passed down through generations and continuing to thrive today. Among them, the Khai Ha (Going Down to the Field) festival stands out as one of the most significant events of the Muong ethnic group.

Muong calendar – National intangible cultural heritage

Muong calendar, known as sach doi, is an ancient folk knowledge system developed through observations of the movement of the pleiades star. This unique calendar consists of 12 bamboo sticks, each representing a lunar month. Specific days within each month are marked with distinct symbols, guiding locals in determining auspicious and inauspicious days for important activities.