8th-century Champa statue, 87 other artifacts handed over to Da Nang Museum

The Da Nang Management Board of Monuments and Landscapes handed over the 88 artifacts to the Da Nang Museum on Monday for preservation and research.

The artifacts were unearthed during a 45-day excavation that began on May 25, covering a total area of 600 square meters at Chon Sang Fort and Nam Chon Station in Hai Van Ward, Da Nang.

The two sites formed part of the coastal defense system under the Nguyen Dynasty, which ruled Vietnam from 1802 to 1945. They played a role in controlling the north-south national route and protecting the northern gateway to Da Nang Bay.

The excavation uncovered architectural remains and archaeological finds that could help clarify the scale, structure, nature, age, and historical and cultural significance of the two sites.

The collection comprises glazed ceramics, stoneware, terracotta building materials, and stone artifacts.

Ten items came from Chon Sang Fort and 78 from Nam Chon Station, with eight of them restored.

The most notable find is a sandstone statue discovered in excavation pit H2 at Chon Sang Fort.

Its front depicts a seated figure in meditation, while the back may bear Cham inscriptions that require further study. Preliminary assessment dates the statue to around the eighth century and associates it with Champa culture.

Hoang Thi Bich Hanh, director of the Da Nang Management Board of Monuments and Landscapes, said the excavation had yielded architectural remains and archaeological artifacts that provide valuable scientific evidence for further research into the two sites.

The findings also help shed light on the role of the Chon Sang-Nam Chon area in the historical landscape of Hai Van Pass.

Hanh said the excavation results would provide a scientific basis for completing dossiers seeking municipal-level heritage status for Chon Sang Fort and Nam Chon Station.

At the handover ceremony, Huynh Dinh Quoc Thien, director of the Da Nang Museum, said receiving the artifacts involved more than an administrative transfer, carrying legal and professional responsibilities for preserving physical evidence of the Nguyen Dynasty's military defense and relay station systems in the city.

The museum would work with experts to further examine the artifacts and compare them with historical records to clarify their historical and cultural significance, Thien said.

It also plans to develop exhibition displays and use 3D technology and digitization to make the artifacts accessible to domestic and international visitors, he added.