An international conference entitled “Oc Eo Culture in the context of Asian Culture” was held in the Mekong River Delta Province of An Giang on November 17.
An overview of the conference.
The event featured the participation of 160 delegates from central ministries and agencies, as well as experts in the field of archaeology from various research agencies and institutes in the country and abroad.
According to the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, with the special values and great stature of Oc Eo culture in Vietnamese history, the Prime Minister assigned the Academy to carry out a project on the research of the Oc Eo - Ba The archaeological relic site in Thoai Son District (An Giang Province) and Nen Chua (Kien Giang Province) in 2015.
This is the largest-scale scientific project ever and a national research mission, aiming to excavate and research the archaeology of Oc Eo culture to collect documents and clarify the formation and development of Oc Eo culture – Phu Nam Kingdom.
The delegates learn about Oc Eo Culture's antiques.
The project also studies the position, role and importance of Oc Eo ancient town in the history of Vietnam, Southeast Asia and Asia, as well as provides a scientific basis for planning, preserving and promoting the value of Oc Eo cultural heritage in the southern region, serving the research and development of the dossier for the UNESCO recognition of Oc Eo - Ba The relic site, as a world cultural heritage.
After nearly four years of carrying out the mission (2017-2020), the results of archaeological excavations at Oc Eo - Ba The and Nen Chua have discovered many important types of relics such as temple architecture, settlement sites of houses on stilts, wells, many traces of handicrafts and jewellery production.
The project's excavation and archaeological research results consist of many new important discoveries, affirming that Oc Eo - Ba The is a residential, urban, economic and religious centre of Oc Eo culture - Phu Nam Kingdom.
