On November 23, Hang Con Moong was honored by the Ministry of Culture and Sports – Tourism (VH-TT-DL) awarded a certificate of recognition as a special National Archaeological Monument. This is a very unique archaeological site in Thanh Hoa The cave was discovered in 1974 and was recognized as a national archaeological relic in 2007.
Con Moong Cave is the 4th relic in Thanh Hoa to be recognized as a special national relic. especially after Lam Kinh historical relic complex, Ba Trieu Temple and Ho Dynasty Citadel (currently a Heritage culture World).
Mysterious relics
Cave Con Moong (Muong language means beast) belongs to the territory of Mo village, formerly Thanh Trung village, Thanh Yen commune, Thach Thanh district, absolute altitude of 147m above sea level, located in limestone mountains of the Dong Giao formation dating back to about 240 million years. With a length of about 40m, the ceiling at both ends is 10m high, Con Moong cave stands out with the strengths of a unique and mysterious archaeological site in the buffer zone of Cuc Phuong National Park.
< p>The Con Moong cave site was discovered in 1974 and excavated for research 4 times. The first time in 1976 with an area of 24m2, retaining 8m2 as a research attraction. The results have confirmed the continuous development of stone tool industries in the stages of the Vietnamese Stone Age, contributing to illuminating the evolution of human life in the pivotal period from the Paleolithic era to the beginning. Neolithic period; from hunting and gathering to primitive agriculture, from wilderness to civilization. Con Moong Cave was ranked by the Ministry of Culture and Information (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) as a National Monument in Decision No. 34 dated August 3, 2007.
Inside Con Moong Cave where many human remains were discovered 40,000 – 60,000 years ago (Photo: Institute of Archeology)
In 2008 – 2009, the Con Moong cave archaeological site and relic continued to be assigned by Thanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee to the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to coordinate with the Vietnam Institute of Archeology to carry out excavation and research on the site. Con Moong cave and surrounding relics to research and determine the criteria to build a World Cultural Heritage profile.
Con Moong cave continues to be excavated for the third time since 2010 – 2013 and the 4th time in 2014. Through many excavations, scientists have confirmed the continuous development of stone tool industries of the Vietnamese Stone Age periods, contributing to clarifying life. Humans were at a pivotal stage from the Paleolithic era to the Neolithic era, from hunting and gathering to primitive agriculture, from wilderness to civilization.
In addition to Con Moong Cave, it was discovered in In 1974, through many excavation studies, scientists discovered a series of new caves.
Ancient cultural layers found in the cave
In recent times, scientists have found many traces of ancient people through stone tools and human remains under the geological layer of the cave. Currently, scientists have excavated more caves including: Lai Cave, Chun Cave, Bo Giao Cave, earthen relics of Elephant Head Mountain, Diem Cave, Gong Cave, Moc Long Cave, Moc Long Stone Roof Cave… These are caves with cultural and historical value. Chemistry and science have a relationship with the Hang Con Moong site and surrounding sites in the prehistoric context of Vietnam and Southeast Asia.
According to Ms. Bui Thi Tuyet, Head of Site Management Department Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Thanh Hoa province with what scientists have found at Hang Con Moong, this is a very special archaeological site that represents many ancient cultures and continuously shows their presence. of humans through each stage and historical process.
Discovering many new documents for archeology
After 5 seasons of excavation fieldwork (from 210 to 2015), the archaeological delegation of the Russian and Vietnamese Academy of Sciences coordinated with the People’s Committee of Thanh Hoa province to organize an international scientific conference “Hang Con Moong site and complex of sites. adjacent” announced the first results at Hang Con Moong and the living space of ancient Vietnamese people in Thanh Hoa.
According to research results, Hang Con Moong has an average stratigraphic thickness of 9 5 m consists of 10 layers with different structures. From layer 1 to layer 6 (depth 1 – 6 m), scientists have found many working tools, bones and bones of mollusks. From layers 7 to 10, no animal remains were found, but many fragmentary tools made of quartz were discovered, most concentrated in layer 10 (depth 8 5 – 9 5 m).
Fossil bones have been identified for thousands of years at Con Moong Cave and neighboring caves
Going through 4 stages of development Culturally, it includes the period before Son Vi to Son Vi to Hoa Binh – Bac Son and Da But culture. Results of carbon and radioactive research on the upper layers from the sedimentary sample at Con Moong Cave and cultural compatibility comparisons with other archaeological sites show that the earliest age of Con Moong is predicted to be 40,000 to 40,000 years old. 60,000 years ago.
At Diem Cave, during two excavation expeditions, the Vietnamese – Russian archaeological team discovered strata with a thickness of 1,95 m including 3 cultural layers dating back to C14 (by the Institute of Novosibirsk Archeology – Ethnology analysis and appraisal) is 11,240 years BC. The stratigraphic structure and cultural layers at Diem Cave show that this is a residential site and burial site of residents from many periods. Nearly 2,000 artifacts were collected here, including bone stone tools and ceramic fragments from 3 burials.
At Mang Chieng Cave (belonging to the administrative boundaries of Cuc Phuong commune, Nho Quan district, Ninh Binh) managed by Cuc Phuong National Park, Con Moong Cave is about 4 km to the west. Scientists have excavated and shown that the cave has a cultural layer 1 to 2 m thick divided into 3 layers. Here, 10 burials and many stone tools and bones were discovered, traces of a fire… notably, the burial traces of human remains were often incomplete, with broken and burned bones… showing that the burial method was incomplete. Burial customs here still have many mysteries that need time to decipher.
Over tens of thousands of years, changes in climate and weather have led to the expansion of the living environment due to manufacturing technology. Working tools for daily life are increasingly advanced and improved, primitive people have separated into groups and moved to Mang Chieng cave, Diem cave, Lai cave, Moc Long cave, Moc Long stone roof, Bitter cave (Ancient people cave), Bo cave. religion and left traces to this day.
Archaeological delegation of the Academy of Sciences Russia and Vietnam came to explore at Con Moong Cave (Photo: Vietnam Archeology)
Mr. Pham Duy Phuong, Director of Thanh Hoa Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said that with the results Archaeological excavations show that Hang Con Moong is one of the very rare archaeological sites with the thickest and best-preserved strata today in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.
“The The relics excavated in Con Moong Cave are authentic evidence of the traditional cave-dwelling tradition of making and using stone tools with changes in the type and technique of tool making that is shown. It is very clear from the relics found from quartz to pebbles from the technique of stripping quartz to pebbles typical in Southeast Asia of the Son Vi culture period” – Mr. Phuong said.
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With scientific significance and extremely historical and cultural value The huge Con Moong cave and surrounding relics were ranked as special national relics by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 2367 dated December 31, 2015. Next, consider the proposal of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in Official Dispatch No. 1750 dated May 17, 2016 and of the People’s Committee of Thanh Hoa province in Report No. 35 dated April 20, 2016 on the policy of formulating a master plan for special national relics. specifically Con Moong cave in Official Dispatch No. 4097 dated May 30, 2016. Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam agreed to assign the People’s Committee of Thanh Hoa province to preside over the master planning of the special national relic site of Con Moong cave; The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism was assigned to preside over and coordinate with relevant agencies to organize the appraisal of planning tasks and the master plan of the special national relic site of Con Moong cave according to current regulations and submit it to the Prime Minister for approval. .
Nguyen Thuy
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