Exploring an ancient tomb nearly 2,000 years old in Quang Ninh

Ngoi mo co duoc phat lo trong qua trinh nguoi dan thi cong san gat mat bang va duoc Bao tang Quang Ninh phoi hop cung nhom khao co cua Tien si Nguyen Van Anh - Truong Khoa Lich su Truong Dai hoc Khoa hoc Xa hoi va Nhan van, Dai hoc Quoc gia Ha Noi - tien hanh khai quat tu thang 12.2025. Anh: Bao tang Quang Ninh

This ancient tomb dates back about 2,000 years in the Chap Khe area, adjacent to the Chap Khe parish church, Vang Danh ward (old Uong Bi city), Quang Ninh province. The ancient tomb was discovered during people's construction of leveling the ground and was excavated by Quang Ninh Museum in coordination with the archaeological group of Dr. Nguyen Van Anh - Head of the Faculty of History, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi - from December 2025. Photo: Quang Ninh Museum

Ket qua cho thay, day la khu mo gach phan bo tren mot go dat cao, co dien tich khoang 150m2, quy mo lon hon nhieu so voi cac mo gach da phat hien truoc do tai Quang Ninh va tren ca nuoc. Anh: Bao tang Quang Ninh

The results showed that this is a brick tomb area distributed on a high mound, with an area of about 150m2, much larger in scale than the brick tombs previously discovered in Quang Ninh and across the country. Photo: Quang Ninh Museum

Day mo nam sau khoang 2,5m so voi mat bang go dat hien tai. Mo nam theo huong Bac lech Dong 20 do, co cau truc gom 2 gian tien that, 1 gian trung that va 3 gian hau that. Trung that va hau that deu co nhi. Anh: Bao tang Quang Ninh

The tomb base is about 2.5m deep compared to the current mound surface. The tomb is located in the North direction, 20 degrees East, with a structure consisting of 2 front vents, 1 middle vent and 3 rear vents. Both the middle vent and rear vent have ears. Photo: Quang Ninh Museum

Cac that va nhi duoc xay xep bang gach hinh chu nhat co do nung cao, tren gach trang tri nhieu loai hoa van nhu hoa van dong tien, o tram, duong tron dong tam, chu S.., mai cuon vom bang gach mui buoi. Anh: Bao tang Quang Ninh

The beds and ears are built and arranged with rectangular bricks with high heating, on the bricks are decorated with many types of patterns such as coin motifs, umbrellas, concentric circles, letters S,... arched roofs made of grapefruit segment bricks. Photo: Quang Ninh Museum

Loai hinh mo tang nay duoc phat hien kha pho bien o luu vuc song Bach Dang thuoc dia phan cac huyen thi (cu) cua Quang Ninh nhu Quang Yen, Uong Bi, Dong Trieu va huyen thi (cu) cua Hai Phong, Hai Duong nhu Thuy Nguyen, Kinh Mon, la bang chung cho thay vai tro quan trong cua luu vuc song Bach Dang nhu mot trung tam van hoa, tri so, vung quan cu tru mat ven song buoi dau Cong nguyen. Anh: Bao tang Quang Ninh

This type of tomb was discovered quite commonly in the Bach Dang river basin belonging to the (old) districts and towns of Quang Ninh such as Quang Yen, Uong Bi, Dong Trieu and the (old) districts and towns of Hai Phong, Hai Duong such as Thuy Nguyen, Kinh Mon, which is evidence of the important role of the Bach Dang river basin as a cultural center, administrative center, and densely populated riverside area in the early Cretaceous period. Photo: Quang Ninh Museum

Ban do vi tri phan bo cac dau tich mo co gach da duoc dieu tra khai quat tai luu vuc song Bach Dang (Anh do nhom khao co cung cap).

Map of the location and distribution of traces of ancient brick tombs that have been investigated and excavated in the Bach Dang river basin (Photo provided by the archaeological group).

Vien gach in noi chu “Hoang quan” tai ngoi mo co o phuong Vang Danh giong voi mau gach tai mo gach Vu Xa (dang duoc trung bay tai Bao tang Hai Phong). Anh: Bao tang Quang Ninh

The brick printed with the words "Prince" at the ancient tomb in Vang Danh ward is similar to the brick pattern at Vu Xa brick tomb (currently on display at Hai Phong Museum). Photo: Quang Ninh Museum.

Di vat thu duoc trong qua trinh khai quat ngoi mo co gom 3 nhom chinh: Vat lieu kien truc gach chu nhat, gach mui buoi; gom dat nung gom cac loai mo hinh nha, noi; gom men gom cac loai binh, vo, chan den… Dua vao cau truc va hoa van tren hien vat co the khang dinh mo co nien dai the I-II sau Cong nguyen (cach ngay nay gan 2.000 nam). Anh: Bao tang Quang Ninh

The artifacts collected during the excavation of the ancient tomb include 3 main groups: architectural materials: rectangular bricks, grapefruit segment bricks; terracotta ceramics including house and pot models; ceramic tiles including pots, jars, lamp bases... Based on the structure and patterns on the artifacts, it can be confirmed that the tomb dates back to the I-II century AD (nearly 2,000 years ago). Photo: Quang Ninh Museum.