Hon Ngo archaeological site, located in Ha Trang Dong Hamlet, Dong Hai Commune, Tien Yen District, plays archaeological, historical and cultural significance, marking the reclamation and foundation of the ancient Vietnamese people in the northeast of the nation.
Hon Ngo or Bo Ngo, located within a tidal flat-formed bay, also the contiguous zone of Tien Yen and Dam Ha, where Ha Thanh River in Tien Yen and Lang Ruong River in Dam Ha merge and flow into the sea. From Tien Yen downtown to Hon Ngo is 9km. It took us 15 minutes to travel to Hon Ngo by a motorboat from Ha Trang Dong. The tidal flat is triangle-shaped, quite wide with ten of scattered upside-down-bowl-shaped islets. The bay is surrounded by mountains, hills and high fields. The deeper and deeper to the mainland we went, the higher and higher mountains and hills were. This location is called Kinh Loi Mount by locals.
It was surprising that until late 20th century, the precious cultural sediment layer was discovered on hills, tidal flat and mangrove forest. Accompanying with us, Vi Thi Tu, secretary of Dong Hai Commune Party’s Committee cum chairman of the commune people’s committee said that Hon Ngo archaeological site was discovered in 1998. Based on science fieldworks, scientists came to the conclusion that six thousand years ago, in the mid-term of the Neolithic age, some ancient people resided nearby Hua Mountain.
Taking a walk on the stone field Hon Ngo, we encountered a fragment which might be from a terracotta jar or flask. Its color or shape were completely different from any modern ceramic items we have ever seen. Tu added that a lot of ceramic and stone tools found here had been left by the ancient Vietnamese people.
In order to avoid looting and trafficking antiques due to digging haphazardly, archaeologists conducted excavations at Hon Ngo site. The latest was held in 2016, then archaeologists collected many stone items diversified in both types and materials. All excavated items are currently stored and preserved at Quang Ninh Museum. But there are numerous relics await under the sea bed need revealing and studying.
Based on the excavation results, Tien Yen had submitted a scientific documentation which then was approved by Quang Ninh Provincial People’s Committee at decision No 188/ QĐ-UBND dated Jan, 16, 2017 on recognizing Hon Ngo archaeological site as the provincial level relic site.
Translated by Dao Linh
