Traces of the canal's banks made of clay, small stones, and laterite at the citadel. (Photo: VNA)Thanh Hoa (VNS/VNA)- Archaeologists have suggested authorities restore a canal system in the HoDynasty Citadel in the central province of Thanh Hoa.
The suggestion was made after a four-month excavation at the site, whichstarted in last October.
Following a decision by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism,archaeologists from the Vietnam Archaeology Institute and the Ho CitadelHeritage Preservation Centre excavated the canal in the citadel.
They conducted research on a total area of 7,000sq.m and found traces of thecanal banks, which included clay, laterite and architectural materials,utensils and tools.
They found various objects including small pebbles, fragments of bricks andtiles, copper coins, as well as pieces of ceramic from the Ly (1010-1225), Tran(1225-1400), Ho (1400-1407), Le (1428-1527) and Nguyen (1802-1945) dynasties.
The archaeologists provided information on the overall structure of the citadel,which revealed the existence of a stone workshop at the site.
They stressed the need to restore the canal surrounding the citadel to recreatethe original environment, culture and history of the site to further attractvisitors.
The excavation will last until April this year.
Based on results of this excavation and previous ones in 2015 and 2016, theresearchers have uncovered the form, function and role of the canal.
This is the first time historians be able to confirm the canal is an importantpart of the citadel. It measures 50-60m in width and 6.8-7.2m in depth, howeverthe length is yet to be established.
The Ho Dynasty Citadel, also known as Tay Do, Tay Giai or An Ton Citadel, is aspecial structure made of stone, which is located in the communes of Vinh Tienand Vinh Long, in the Vinh Lo district of Thanh Hoa province.
It was first built by Ho Quy Ly (1336-1407) at the end of 14th century andserved as the capital of Dai Viet under the Tran dynasty (1389-1400) and thecapital of Dai Ngu under the Ho dynasty (1400-1407).
The dimensions of the citadel are 870m by 883m.
According to experts, it is the only citadel in the country built entirely ofstone that has remained nearly intact throughout the nation’s history. Thestructure is an outstanding example of a new style of construction for aSoutheast Asian imperial city.
It was recognised as a World Cultural Heritage site by UNESCO in 2011./.
VNA
