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| The bronze drum mould fragments excavated at the ancient citadel of Luy Lâu in Bắc Ninh Province. — VNA/VNS Photo |
HÀ NỘI — The archaeological excavation at the ancient citadel of Luy Lâu in the northern province of Bắc Ninh has unearthed many valuable architectural remnants.
The excavation, in Thanh Khương Ward, Thuận Thành Town, was conducted by scientists from the Vietnam National Museum of History, in collaboration with the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, on a total area of about 76sq.m at the site of the outer western wall of the citadel.
It was led by Professor Hoàng Hiểu Phấn from the University of East Asia, Japan and Lê Văn Chiến from the Vietnam National Museum of History.
This activity aims to continue exploring the historical and cultural values hidden within the ancient citadel, while also promoting international academic research collaboration.
The excavation discovered many valuable architectural remains, notably the foundation of a structure built with grey-blue rectangular bricks, running along the city wall towards the Dâu River.
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| An overview of the excavation site. — Photo courtesy of National Museum of History |
The foundation is about 3.3 metres long, built with double walls 40cm wide, with many sections preserving up to eight rows of bricks.
Notably, the western side features a flat stepped design, demonstrating the sturdy and intricate construction techniques of the ancient inhabitants.
At the reinforced wall layer, archaeologists noted the use of broken bricks from the 7th to 9th centuries, along with the reuse of bricks from the 6th century. This reflects the continuity of construction techniques across various historical periods.
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| The brick wall dates back to the 6th century. — Photo courtesy of National Museum of History |
Remains such as the Nguyễn-era architectural foundations made of lime mortar and bamboo piles for stabilisation further demonstrate the continuous development of this area throughout the course of history.
The artefacts collected during this excavation are quite diverse, including various types of building bricks, intricately patterned decorative bricks, cylindrical tiles, ridge tiles and earthenware items such as bowls, plates, vases and jars.
Some bricks bear ancient Chinese characters, providing valuable information for tracing back their origin and understanding the cultural and political context of Luy Lâu citadel.
According to researchers, the results of the 2025 excavation continue the discoveries from 2022 at pit T14, with an expanded area and richer documentation. This contributes to reinforcing the argument for the exceptional value of the ancient citadel.
This site is not only a major administrative and military centre during the northern domination but also a vibrant symbol of the cultural and architectural integration throughout Vietnamese history.
Previously, during the most recent archaeological excavation from October to December 2024, a piece of a bronze drum mould was unearthed at the site of the ancient citadel, in addition to over 2,300 fragments of bronze drum moulds.
The fragments are classified into two types – those that have been used for casting drums, characterised by a hard, grey-burnt surface, and ones that have not yet been used, featuring a light pink, somewhat crumbly surface.
Among these, one large outer mould fragment of the drum is particularly notable, featuring complete decorative motifs radiating from the centre to the outer rim.
This, along with fragments from the tang, body and foot of the drum, provides a more accurate perspective on the bronze drums cast at Luy Lâu.
This is also the first time scientists have discovered a relatively large number of Trần Dynasty (1225-1400) relics and artefacts scattered throughout the upper soil layers of the citadel. This indicates that during the Trần Dynasty, the Luy Lâu area was in use for an extended period.
Based on the excavation results, experts said that the site was a significant centre for metallurgy and bronze casting, highly valuable for studying the bronze drum casting processes of ancient Vietnamese people and the enduring vitality of Đông Sơn culture throughout the nation’s historical development.
They therefore urge further archaeological excavations to gain a comprehensive understanding of the metallurgical and bronze casting activities that took place here. — VNS
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