Golden objects from Oc Eo culture (Source: VNA)An Giang (VNA) – A workshop on the Oc Eo civilisation, one of the three major ancient civilisations in Vietnam, was held in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang on January 15.
The Oc Eo civilisation was part of the Kingdom of Funan, which took shape in southern Vietnam from the first to seventh century AD. It was discovered in the Ba The – Oc Eo area in An Giang in 1942.
In 1944, French archaeologist Louis Malleret and experts from the French School of the Far East found a number of valuable objects that proved the high-level development of the civilisation’s trade activities, pottery and bronze-making skills, as well as Hindu and Buddhist statues.
Vo Van Sen, President of the Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Science and Humanities, said excavations in the Mekong Delta – especially in the Long Xuyen Quadrangle in An Giang - since 1944 have showed that Oc Eo is one of the three major civilisations (the others are Dong Son and Sa Huynh). It holds significant value both domestically and internationally, Sen said.
The southern region where it existed is near the intersection of many international shipping routes, he noted.
Professor Ngo Van Le from the university said the Oc Eo civilisation’s rich values should be preserved and utilised in tourism activities so as to turn tourism into a spearhead industry in southern localities.
Vice Chairman of the An Giang People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Binh said the archaeological and architectural site was recently recognised as a special national relic, which will help with preservation and tourism development.-VNA
