Thanh Hoa (VNA) - A citadel from the Ho Dynasty, located in Vinh Loc districtof Thanh Hoa province, was listed as a World Cultural Heritage site by UNESCOin 2011 due to its huge stone walls, which are a unique architecturalconstruction in Vietnam and neighbouring countries.

More recent digs at the excavation site have revealed traces of the King'sRoyal Path, or Ngu Dao.

A workshop hosted by the Vietnam Institute of Archeology, in collaboration withthe Thanh Hoa Department of Culture and Sports and Tourism as well as the HoDynasty Citadel Heritage Preservation Centre, has revealed the findings of thedig.

Archaeologists found evidence of a green stone embankment and slate paving inthe middle of the southern gate, which they believe are remnants of the royalpath.

Experts also clarified the stratigraphy of the path from the Ho Dynasty to thepresent times, which consists of three major layers.

The uppermost layer is the current National Highway 217 which passes throughthe heart of the Ho Dynasty Citadel.

The second (middle) layer was built by the French colonialists in 1937.

The third layer is a reinforced clay base from the Ho Dynasty.

Along the royal path, archaeologists unearthed numerous significantarchitectural remnants and relics during excavations. Particularly, parts ofthe Dragon architectural cluster are deemed significant architecture and areregarded to be the key to locating the Ho Citadel's main palace.

They also found many types of decorative bricks with patterns ofchrysanthemums, lotuses and gerberas from the Ly-Tran dynasties, flower stringsof the Le Dynasty, and various types of square, rectangular, and decorativebricks printed with Chinese characters.

The excavation, according to Associate Professor Tong Trung Tin, Chairman ofthe Vietnam Archaeological Association, has clarified the current status of thestructure and construction materials of the royal path in the Ho Citadel.

"The main purpose of the Ho Citadel excavation is toinvestigate the royal path in order to fully understand the overall structureof the ancient capital. In this light, the excavation has made many newdiscoveries that contribute to our understanding of the construction andarchitecture of the Ho Dynasty Citadel across time," he said.

Some researchers suggest during the workshop that the structures identified onthe royal path should be investigated more thoroughly in terms of location andfunction.

However, this is a challenging task when the remaining documents are nearlygone. To clarify, it is important to increase the entire research activity,archaeological digs, and comparative study of the ancient capitals of Vietnamand numerous other countries./.