The excavations were part of a series of collaborative research projects titled “Hunting, Farming and the Agricultural Revolution in Mainland Southeast Asia,” conducted over several years between the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (led by Prof. Dr. Lam Thi My Dung and Dr. Nguyen Huu Manh - Faculty of History) and the Australian National University (led by Prof. Peter Bellwood and Prof. Philip Piper).
Excavations conducted from March 28th to April 29th, 2025, at the Quynh Van site in Quynh Van commune, Quynh Luu district, Nghe An province, have opened a new chapter in the study of one of Vietnam's ancient cultures. With an excavated area of 19 square meters, the research team discovered and unearthed eight tombs containing numerous artifacts and traces of daily life from approximately 4,000-6,000 years ago, contributing to shedding light on the mysteries surrounding the origins, life, and culture of the communities that inhabited the ancient Quynh Luu bay.
Geographical location and historical formation of the Quynh Van archaeological site.
Delegates visit the excavation site.
The Quynh Van archaeological site is located at the foot of Lap Son mountain, adjacent to National Highway 1A, near the Quen River. Previously, the site covered an area of approximately 11,200 m²; however, due to shell mining activities since the 1970s, most of the site has been destroyed, with only a small portion preserved. In 2017, the Quynh Van site was officially classified as a national-level historical site, existing within a designated area of nearly 5,000 m².
Over 60 years ago, in 1963-1964, from previous surveys and excavations, scientists discovered a series of stone artifacts, pottery, mollusk shells, and especially 30 ancient tombs. Anthropological studies indicate that the ancient inhabitants belonged to the Australo-Negroid race, possessing Mongoloid characteristics, living off aquatic resources, hunting and gathering, and making stone tools.
After more than 60 years, the Quynh Van site is being studied again. Three excavation pits were opened in 2025 to better determine the period of habitation, daily life activities, and the relationship of the ancient inhabitants of Quynh Van with the natural environment. Using the stratigraphic excavation method, this excavation has collected thousands of specimens, artifacts, and unearthed many relics.
- Pit 1 has a 3.2m thick stratigraphic layer containing traces of hearths, post holes, and numerous stone, pottery, and mollusk shell artifacts. These traces indicate that the inhabitants built dwelling platforms from seashells, forming high and wide shell mounds, and engaged in food processing and long-term residential activities.
- Pit 2 revealed two layers of burial sites where people were found in a seated, curled-up position, along with traces of habitation, stone tools, and fragments. These ancient tombs may be related to burial practices such as covering the bodies with layers of yellow sand, burying the deceased with mollusk shell ornaments, placing ivory, and using stones to mark the graves. Although eight tombs have been excavated and many more remain unexcavated within the 9m² area, no signs of tomb destruction were observed, indicating that the ancient people of Quynh Van were clearly aware of proper burial customs.
- Pit 3 was excavated to collect additional specimens, providing data on the ancient environment and the diversity of animal species such as marine fish, turtles, pigs, deer, Placuna scallops, and other mollusks, reflecting the highly adaptive strategies of ancient inhabitants to their coastal and limestone mountain habitats.
Professor Philip Piper shared more about the collaboration between the University of Social Sciences and Humanities and the Australian National University on the excavation of Quynh Van.
Professor Dr. Lam Thi My Dung presented a preliminary report on the results of the archaeological excavation at the Quynh Van site at the Conference on Preliminary Results of Archaeological Excavations.
Significance and research prospects
The 2025 excavation at Quynh Van opened a new chapter in the study of Neolithic culture in North Central Vietnam, contributing to clarifying the role of the site in the formation and settlement of one of the earliest communities in the region of Central Vietnam. The discoveries of ancient tombs, traces of daily life, and the diversity of artifacts have opened many new avenues of research into the origins, burial customs, and lifestyles of the ancient inhabitants of Quynh Van.
In particular, excavation results have confirmed that ancient inhabitants lived and built dwellings from scallop shells, manufactured stone tools, and buried the dead in a seated, knee-bent position, without pottery or polished stone tools, suggesting diversity in burial practices and possibly older than cultures like Da But or Bac Son, or belonging to a different "tradition or trajectory".
Artifacts, bones, and ancient biological samples will continue to be studied and analyzed for dating, archaeology, and environmental analysis to further clarify the history of habitation, ethnic origins, diet, and the relationship between humans and the environment in Quynh Van. These are important sources of information for research on DNA, genetics, and other aspects of the Quynh Van culture community that once lived on Vietnam.
During the presentation, the excavation team called on relevant authorities, scientists, and the community to continue paying attention to and protecting the value of this archaeological site, in order to maximize its research potential in the future.
Professor Nguyen Van Kim, Vice Chairman of the National Heritage Council, shared his views on the value of the Quynh Van excavation in 2025.
Some artifacts collected at the excavation site.
