More Champa relics discovered in Binh Dinh

The Museum of central Binh Dinh province in Vietnam has announced the discovery of more than 600 precious items during a recent archaeological excavation of Champa ruins at Rung Cam (Forbidden Forest) site at Thu Thien Thuong village, Binh Nghi commune, Tay Son district.

The items excavated include architectural decorations, remnants of ancient statues and a very rare bronze plate dating back to the 12th or 13th century.

At present, the museum is preserving two valuable items from the Champa culture that competent agencies seized from thieves during their illegal excavation in 1989. They are an embossment of God Mahishamardini and a round stone altar that looks like the bronze drum of the ancient Vietnamese.

In 2013, the museum also excavated the Man Tower relic site also in Binh Nghi commune and found many valuable objects.

According to Dinh Ba Hoa, Director of the museum, as many as 52 Champa ruins are scattered throughout the province, of which 10 are in Tay Son district.

Binh Dinh is home to the largest number of Champa vestiges in the country, with 14 Cham towers under preservation and 52 other vestiges still neglected. At present, the provincial museum is working to complete its map of Champa relics and archaeological sites in the locality in order to keep the great cultural values of the Champa community.