On March 20, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Bac Ninh province is still coordinating with the Institute of Archaeology under the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences to urgently excavate two new ancient boats discovered by local residents in Cong Ha quarter (Ha Man ward, Thuan Thanh town).
Previously, at the end of November 2024, during the renovation of a fish pond with an area of over 1,000m2, people discovered 2 wooden boats under the pond.
The emergency excavation of the relic was carried out from April 3 to 3, 2025 with an excavation area of 300m2.
The location of the ancient boat display is on the Dau River, a branch of the Thien Duc River - Duong River, flowing close to the western bank of Luy Lau citadel.
The location of the discovery is about 1km from Luy Lau, about 600m to the Northeast of Dau Pagoda; about 500m from To Pagoda (Mother Man Nuong Pagoda) as the crow flies.
According to the initial assessment of archaeological experts, these may be two cargo ships on the Dau River, fixed together. This is a unique discovery, with a strange structure with a strong, chiuting strength and good water resistance.
Dr. Pham Van Trieu, Deputy Head of the Department of Historical Archaeology, Institute of Archaeology - the excavation director, said that this is a very valuable discovery in terms of history and culture.
Although the exact age cannot be confirmed, according to the law, if it is a unique boat, it usually has an early date in history, Dr. Pham Van Trieu informed.
Previously, on the afternoon of March 18, directly inspecting the site and listening to reports from relevant parties, Chairman of the People's Committee of Bac Ninh province Vuong Quoc Tuan requested the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Institute of Archaeology to continue excavating, clarifying the data, and evaluating the overall value of the age, nature, and regional connectivity of the ancient boat relic.
The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism plans to organize a workshop, inviting experts to participate in research and criticism to have an accurate assessment of the value of ancient boat relics. The local government has a plan to ensure security and safety in the excavation area and ancient boat relics; propagate to the people about protecting cultural heritage.
