Artefacts found at the first ever large-scale excavation in the Co Loa Citadel.

The preliminary report of a team from the Vietnam Institute of Archaeology (VIA), digging since January at a temple dedicated to An Duong Vuong King, may confirm history books that the site dates back to the Tran dynasty.

Associate Professor Pham Minh Huyen, who led the five-member group at the site in Hanoi's outlying district of Dong Anh, said that her team dug six holes and found numerous arterfacts, mainly ceramics, tiles, and bricks distributed among three layers.

The top layer belonged to the Le dynasty (15-18th century) while the second top layer contained artefacts of the Tran dynasty (13-14th century), and the bottom layer containing ceramics particular to the Co Loa area.

The archaeologists also discovered remnants of kilns on the dig, including an almost intact firing chamber with pieces of bricks and tiles. Earlier excavations also unearthed kilns of various sizes, probably associated with construction of the citadel.

The findings shed the light on periods of cultural development in the area, as well as on the importance of the An Duong Vuong Temple.

The work also made a discovery regarding a local legend surrounding the temple in the inner compound of the citadel. Local people used to believe in a one-eyed dragon at the An Duong Vuong Temple, also called the Thuong (Upper) Temple.

The dragon's mouth held a pearl, which is the Gieng Ngoc (the Pearl Well) facing the Thuong Temple. Its two eyes were two round and deep holes in front of the temple, and the hole on the right is always wet with water be it dry or wet season, while the other is always dry.

Digging into the wet hole, excavators found a hollow sphere made of terracotta, which contained baked clay and many pieces of bricks and tiles. Under the sphere they also discovered a thick layer of ash, under which was a layer of yellow clay with pieces of Co Loa ceramics.

Associate Professor Pham Minh Huyen and Dr Nguyen Doan Tuan, Director of the Hanoi Relic Sites and Landscape Management Board, have proposed that the city allow them to expand their excavation site by 140 sq.m. to help preserve and restore one of the country's important historical sites.

(Source: SGGP, Tuoi Tre)