The vestige of Cha Citadel from above. (Photo: dantri.vn) According to archeological associate professor Lai Van Toi, Vice Director ofthe Research Centre for Imperial City, two overlapping layers have been discoveredin the excavated area of Ong Ty mound within the citadel. The first layercontains vestiges of root tiles and bricks while the second is the foundationsof a tower.
The second excavated area, 5m from the first one, unearthed the foundation of arectangle-shaped tower with total area of about 25 sq.m and the vestiges of thefoundation of a brick wall.
The specialists have also collected ancient objects and pottery that dates backto late Sa Huynh Culture (1,000 BC – 200 AD) and early Champa Kingdom(192-1832).
The results of the second excavation will contribute to studies of the ancientcity-state Vijaya and Champa Kingdom.
As noted in the relic documents, Cha Citadel, recognised as a nationalart-architecture relic in 2003, was the political and military centreof the city-state Vijaya and then the capital of Champa Kingdom in thelate 10th and early 11th century.
The first excavation of the relic late last year dug out the foundation of atemple and nearly 6,700 ancient relics.
The term “Champa” refers to a collection ofindependent “Cham” polities that extended across the coast of what is today’scentral and southern Vietnam from approximately the 2nd century (192) throughthe 19th century (1832).
The kingdom was known variously as Cham Pa in Vietnamese (Chiem Thanh in Sino-Vietnamesevocabulary)./.
VNA
