Archaeologists working at a site in Hanoi's Dong Anh district havestumbled across 11 tombs dating back to the Phung Nguyen culture, daysbefore they were about to wind up the dig.
The PhungNguyen remains, the best-preserved of any found in and around the city,date back about 4,000 years, archaeologists from the Viet NamArchaeology Institute said.
The tombs were discovered 1.5mbelow ground.
"All the tombs are of people who wereliving during the Phung Nguyen civilisation, date back 3,500 to 4,000years," said Lai Van Toi, PhD, who is in charge of excavating the site.
One of the tombs, provisionally called number nine, containedthe well-preserved remains of a woman aged between 35-40, Nguyen LanCuong, deputy general secretary of the Viet Nam ArchaeologistsAssociation told Vietnam News.
The woman was about 1.55mtall and was buried face up, with her arms lying by her sides and herhead bent towards her left shoulder, Cuong said.
Her skullwas a long ovoid shape, and her eye sockets were relatively low in herface. She also had a large nose.
Typical of thearistocracy of the Phung Nguyen culture in Xom Ren in the northernprovince of Phu Tho, her front-teeth had been removed, as was the casewith the other skeletons unearthed. Skeletons dating from the PhungNguyen culture found in Dong Dau in the northern province of VinhPhuc, Hang To in Son La and Man Bac in Ninh Binh were also found to bemissing their front teeth.
The custom was popular amongthe ancient peoples of south China , Japan and Oceanaria.
Some ceramic objects were found on the woman's left thigh and the leftside of her hip. Archaeologists also found traces of red dust on herleft knee bone, as has been seen in other ancient tombs.
The Dinh Trang site has been excavated seven times. During the lastexcavation, archaeologists found a total of 11 tombs, eight of whichcontained skeletons and teeth mostly of children.
Archaeologists said further research would be conducted on the tombs tolearn more about the Phung Nguyen culture and the Dong Son civilisation,which dates back 2,000-3,000 years and existed in today Phu Tho, YenBai, Hoa Binh, Hanoi, and the central provinces of Thanh Hoa, Nghe Anand Ha Tinh./.
The PhungNguyen remains, the best-preserved of any found in and around the city,date back about 4,000 years, archaeologists from the Viet NamArchaeology Institute said.
The tombs were discovered 1.5mbelow ground.
"All the tombs are of people who wereliving during the Phung Nguyen civilisation, date back 3,500 to 4,000years," said Lai Van Toi, PhD, who is in charge of excavating the site.
One of the tombs, provisionally called number nine, containedthe well-preserved remains of a woman aged between 35-40, Nguyen LanCuong, deputy general secretary of the Viet Nam ArchaeologistsAssociation told Vietnam News.
The woman was about 1.55mtall and was buried face up, with her arms lying by her sides and herhead bent towards her left shoulder, Cuong said.
Her skullwas a long ovoid shape, and her eye sockets were relatively low in herface. She also had a large nose.
Typical of thearistocracy of the Phung Nguyen culture in Xom Ren in the northernprovince of Phu Tho, her front-teeth had been removed, as was the casewith the other skeletons unearthed. Skeletons dating from the PhungNguyen culture found in Dong Dau in the northern province of VinhPhuc, Hang To in Son La and Man Bac in Ninh Binh were also found to bemissing their front teeth.
The custom was popular amongthe ancient peoples of south China , Japan and Oceanaria.
Some ceramic objects were found on the woman's left thigh and the leftside of her hip. Archaeologists also found traces of red dust on herleft knee bone, as has been seen in other ancient tombs.
The Dinh Trang site has been excavated seven times. During the lastexcavation, archaeologists found a total of 11 tombs, eight of whichcontained skeletons and teeth mostly of children.
Archaeologists said further research would be conducted on the tombs tolearn more about the Phung Nguyen culture and the Dong Son civilisation,which dates back 2,000-3,000 years and existed in today Phu Tho, YenBai, Hoa Binh, Hanoi, and the central provinces of Thanh Hoa, Nghe Anand Ha Tinh./.
