The 80cm-tall sculpture, dated between the 13th and 19th century, is one of the 1,600 antiques displayed in the provincial museum (Photo: vanhien.vn)Hanoi (VNA) - Authorities of southern Tay Ninh province havesubmitted a dossier to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, asking foran ancient stone sculpture to be recognised as a national treasure.
The 80cm-tall sculpture, dated between the 13th and 19th century, is one of the1,600 antiques displayed in the provincial museum.
The sculpture is in the form of a multi-storey column and has been carved froma single stone. The head is shaped like a symbolic lotus, while the body iscarved with lotus petals. Its base is 48cm in diametre and 8cm thick, and theartefact weighs around 200kg.
Experts at the museum said the artefact was discovered in 1999 at anarchaeological site in the southern province’s Bau Tep village in Tien Thuan commune,Ben Cau district.
In a report dated June 28, 2017, researchers such as Bui Chi Hoang from theSouthern Region Social Sciences Institute, Nguyen Khanh Trung Kien, deputydirector of the Institute’s Archaeology Centre, and Hoang Anh Tuan, director ofthe HCM City History Museum, have stated that the sculpture is an “original andunique object with distinguishing decorative patterns made by artisans betweenthe 13th and 19th century.”
“The object meet all criteria for a national treasure,” the report said.
Local authorities have submitted the dossier to the ministry and the PrimeMinister.-VNA
VNA
