An aerial view of the excavation site at Cao Quy (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) - Archaeologists haverecently unearthed wooden stakes that are thought to have been planted ina river in the coastal city of Hai Phong to repel Yuan-Mongol invaders'boats and secure the Bach Dang River victory in 1288 for Dai Viet (thenVietnam).
Researcher Bui Van Hieu from the VietnamArchaeology Institute said the stakes would have been deployedby Tran Dynasty (1226-1400) fighters as a trap to destroyenemy boats and divert the current.
The historic victory reported inrecords has been proved by traces of wooden stakes on the river bed foundin Yen Giang, Dong Van Muoi and Dong Ma Ngua in the northern province of QuangNinh.
Recently, traces of the same woodenstakes have been unearthed in Lien Khe commune, Thuy Nguyen district, HaiPhong city.
They were discovered by chance near the Da BacRiver dyke by locals. The stakes measured 3-4m in height with a diameter of30cm.
Experts examined the stakes and decided toexcavate the site. Nine stakes were found in early November 2019, which weretested by radio carbon [carbon-14] dating that found they came from between1270 and 1430 AD.
At the end of November, the site was expandedto 950sq.m with three digs, where archaeologists found 27 stakes.
According to locals, this was not the first timesuch a discovery had been made. For example, 30 years ago a family found 10stakes in the same area.
Tran Van Do, another farmer in Quy Khe village,found three wooden stakes in 1970, with diameters of 35-50cm.
Archaeologists have also examined Thu KheTemple, Mai Dong Pagoda and Thiem Khe Pagoda, which history books say wereinvolved in the victory.
According to records, Emperor Hung DaoVuong Tran Quoc Tuan (1228-1300) visited the site to train his troops andset the trap.
Trap set
“We think this area was where the thirdbattle of the Bach Dang River took place in 1288,” researcher Bui VanHieu said. “The trap was likely designed to prevent Yuan-Mongol shipsfrom entering Gia River where Tran Quoc Tuan’s army was. Theinvaders had no other choice but to travel along the Da BacRiver to the Bach Dang River, where pointed stakes had been set to damagetheir boats.”
“The Bach Dang River victory ended theYuan-Mongol troops hopes of invading Dai Viet,” he said.
Researcher Doan Dinh Lam, from the VietnamScience Academy said feudal dynasties from the north that tried toinvade Vietnam using the waterways chose the mouth of the Bach DangRiver, which is deeper than the river itself.
Lam said he believed there were other staketraps set up along the river that were yet to be found.
Professor Le Van Lan said the findingschanged what historians had previously thought of the battle.
"We only knew that the Tran army had luredthe enemy down the Bach Dang River, and set the stakes late at night when thetide was high.
“The Tran army then engaged the enemy inthe early morning when the tide was too low for their boats toflee to the sea. They were trapped by the wooden stakes,” hesaid.
“But now we know it was a huge militarycampaign, not just a single battle,” he said. “The Tran army planned toset up a system of traps all along the Bach Dang River.”
Researcher Vu Minh Giang, deputy chairman of theCulture Heritage Council, said many historians from around the world hadpraised the tactics.
“The Yuan-Mongol empire was extremely powerful,”he said. “It stretched from the Pacific Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. Theywon every battle.
“In their efforts to invade Southeast Asia,they fought Dai Viet three times (1257-58; 1284-85 and 1287-88), and lost everytime.
After their defeat in 1288, the empire graduallyweakened and collapsed. The victory helped prevent the empirefrom invading Japan and Southeast Asia,” he said.
Professor Tran Dinh Thanh, deputy director ofthe Culture Heritage Department, said the new findings showed the greatsignificance of the battle.
“Before scientists conducted separateresearch in different areas. Now we have connection. We shouldconduct more excavations and rebuild the victory in 3D images so thatpeople can understand its scale. Many international scientists consider it aglobal victory, which should be regarded as a world heritage.”
Thanh suggested that local authorities shouldsubmit an application for recognition as a national relic site.
He also instructed agencies to protect the sitesfrom erosion.
Bach Dang River, which runs through Quang Yentown (Quang Ninh province) to Thuy Nguyen district (Hai Phong city) alsowitnessed the historic victories of Ngo Quyen (897-944) and LeHoan (941-1005)./.
Researcher Bui Van Hieu from the VietnamArchaeology Institute said the stakes would have been deployedby Tran Dynasty (1226-1400) fighters as a trap to destroyenemy boats and divert the current.
The historic victory reported inrecords has been proved by traces of wooden stakes on the river bed foundin Yen Giang, Dong Van Muoi and Dong Ma Ngua in the northern province of QuangNinh.
Recently, traces of the same woodenstakes have been unearthed in Lien Khe commune, Thuy Nguyen district, HaiPhong city.
They were discovered by chance near the Da BacRiver dyke by locals. The stakes measured 3-4m in height with a diameter of30cm.
Experts examined the stakes and decided toexcavate the site. Nine stakes were found in early November 2019, which weretested by radio carbon [carbon-14] dating that found they came from between1270 and 1430 AD.
At the end of November, the site was expandedto 950sq.m with three digs, where archaeologists found 27 stakes.
According to locals, this was not the first timesuch a discovery had been made. For example, 30 years ago a family found 10stakes in the same area.
Tran Van Do, another farmer in Quy Khe village,found three wooden stakes in 1970, with diameters of 35-50cm.
Archaeologists have also examined Thu KheTemple, Mai Dong Pagoda and Thiem Khe Pagoda, which history books say wereinvolved in the victory.
According to records, Emperor Hung DaoVuong Tran Quoc Tuan (1228-1300) visited the site to train his troops andset the trap.
Trap set
“We think this area was where the thirdbattle of the Bach Dang River took place in 1288,” researcher Bui VanHieu said. “The trap was likely designed to prevent Yuan-Mongol shipsfrom entering Gia River where Tran Quoc Tuan’s army was. Theinvaders had no other choice but to travel along the Da BacRiver to the Bach Dang River, where pointed stakes had been set to damagetheir boats.”
“The Bach Dang River victory ended theYuan-Mongol troops hopes of invading Dai Viet,” he said.
Researcher Doan Dinh Lam, from the VietnamScience Academy said feudal dynasties from the north that tried toinvade Vietnam using the waterways chose the mouth of the Bach DangRiver, which is deeper than the river itself.
Lam said he believed there were other staketraps set up along the river that were yet to be found.
Professor Le Van Lan said the findingschanged what historians had previously thought of the battle.
"We only knew that the Tran army had luredthe enemy down the Bach Dang River, and set the stakes late at night when thetide was high.
“The Tran army then engaged the enemy inthe early morning when the tide was too low for their boats toflee to the sea. They were trapped by the wooden stakes,” hesaid.
“But now we know it was a huge militarycampaign, not just a single battle,” he said. “The Tran army planned toset up a system of traps all along the Bach Dang River.”
Researcher Vu Minh Giang, deputy chairman of theCulture Heritage Council, said many historians from around the world hadpraised the tactics.
“The Yuan-Mongol empire was extremely powerful,”he said. “It stretched from the Pacific Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. Theywon every battle.
“In their efforts to invade Southeast Asia,they fought Dai Viet three times (1257-58; 1284-85 and 1287-88), and lost everytime.
After their defeat in 1288, the empire graduallyweakened and collapsed. The victory helped prevent the empirefrom invading Japan and Southeast Asia,” he said.
Professor Tran Dinh Thanh, deputy director ofthe Culture Heritage Department, said the new findings showed the greatsignificance of the battle.
“Before scientists conducted separateresearch in different areas. Now we have connection. We shouldconduct more excavations and rebuild the victory in 3D images so thatpeople can understand its scale. Many international scientists consider it aglobal victory, which should be regarded as a world heritage.”
Thanh suggested that local authorities shouldsubmit an application for recognition as a national relic site.
He also instructed agencies to protect the sitesfrom erosion.
Bach Dang River, which runs through Quang Yentown (Quang Ninh province) to Thuy Nguyen district (Hai Phong city) alsowitnessed the historic victories of Ngo Quyen (897-944) and LeHoan (941-1005)./.
VNA
