Thanh Hoa (VNS/VNA) - Remnants of the foundations of a 10th century pagoda in Xuan Dai Mountain,Vinh Loc district, the central province of Thanh Hoa, have just been excavated.

The results have been announced recently by scientists from Ho Citadel HeritagePreservation Centre and the Vietnam Archaeology Institute.

At an excavation site on the mountainside behind Vinh Ninh Primary School,archaeologists discovered four layers of foundations constructed from largestones. Most of the stones remain in their original places, arranged in a linerunning east to west. Some of them fell out of line.

Each layer of the foundation has a different width and distance from the otherlayers. For example, the gap between the second to the third stone layer is8.8m while the third stone layer is locates 0.5-0.7m higher than the secondlayer.

Around the excavation site, archaeologists found four pillars dating back tothe Tran Dynasty (1225-1400). Four other fallen pillars from the Le Trung HungDynasty (1533-1789) were also found. The Le Trung Hung pillars are carved in amore sophisticated style than the ones from the Tran dynasty, according toarchaeologists.

A great number of tiles from the Tran Dynasty were also found, as well asglazed ceramic tiles from the Late Le Dynasty (1428-1527), lotus decorativepatterns from the Le Trung Hung Dynasty and metal nails.

According to a book titled So Luoc Lich Su Van Hoa Chua Thong (AQuick Review of the Culture and History of Thong Pagoda) by Tran Duy Phuong,“Du Anh Pagoda and Thong Cu Pagoda are other names of Thong Pagoda, which wasfirst built in the Early Le Dynasty (980-1009) of bricks and tiles brought fromthe ancient citadel in Hoa Lu (today’s Ninh Bình province).”

At the end of the Tran Dynasty, King Tran Nghe Tong (1370-1372) brought hisdaughter, princess Du Anh, to attend a local festival and get treated for anillness at the pagoda. She got healthier after consuming herbs taken fromnearby Ho Cong grotto.

The King then improved the pagoda. Du Anh directly managed the construction onthe building as well as the creation of statues and a bell. The pagoda wasnamed after her.

According to researcher Nguyen Duc Binh from the institute, the excavation sitebehind the school was the location of the old temple dedicated to the princess.

Anotherbook on geology of Vinh Loc district mentions there is a temple dedicated tothe princess near the pagoda. “The temple is located on the mountainside.”

The eight pillars at thefoundation of different periods prove the temple existed for a long time andthat the structure had been renovated multiple times, Binh said.

Architectural remnants and objects unearthed at the site show that the site iseven older than two other ancient structures found in the district – Ho Citadel(built in 1397) and Nam Giao royal worship platform (1400).

Binh said the relic site must have been built on a large area, with space toprotect various valuable antiques.

“As the excavation site is small, we still cannot see the whole scale of thestructures,” Binh said. “The site needs to be further excavated in order togather enough evidence and information for future preservation.”

Researcher Do Quang Trong, Director of the Ho Citadel Preservation Centre,suggested displaying the unearthed objects at the site to enhance people’sawareness of the importance of protecting heritage sited and to develop thevalue of the relic site.

“The site may be named one of the locality’s destinations for spiritualtourism,” he said.-VNS/VNA