Awakening the Values of Xom Trai Cave Special National Relief

Located on the eastern slope of Khu Trai Mountain, Xom Trai Cave (Trai Sao Village, Muong Vang Commune) is the site of the first and most significant archaeological discoveries of the Hoa Binh Culture. This famous prehistoric culture existed not only in Vietnam but also across Southeast Asia.

The hearth and living scenes of people during the Hoa Binh Culture era reconstructed at Xom Trai Cave.

Outstanding Values

Xom Trai Cave is recognized as a unique limestone valley heritage type, typical of Southeast Asia. Through numerous excavations, scientists have evaluated this as one of the Hoa Binh Culture sites with the thickest cultural layers and the richest collection of stone artifacts. The overall stone tools found here demonstrate highly sophisticated crafting techniques.

Ancient rice grains preserved and displayed at the 2026 Muong Vang Khai Ha Festival.

The presence of many edge-ground axes, along with carbon-14 dating results, provides a solid basis for classifying the site within the Early Neolithic Age of Vietnam and Southeast Asia. The cultural remains at Xom Trai Cave serve as the earliest evidence of primitive artistic thought in Vietnam.

Beyond stone, bone, horn, and ceramic artifacts, researchers discovered remains of mollusks and plants. Notably, the excavation found fragments of rice husks and charred rice grains at depths of 0-80cm. These findings, combined with tree-ring calibration methods, have decoded secrets of the past, identifying Xom Trai Cave as a prehistoric dwelling occupied across multiple stages from 21,000 to 2,500 years ago. With such outstanding values, Xom Trai Cave was ranked as a Special National Relic in 2024.

Numerous tourists visit and explore the Xom Trai Cave Special National Relic.

A Unique Cultural and Historical Destination

Muong Vang Commune recently restored and organized the Muong Vang Festival for the first time, centered around the Xom Trai Cave relic space. This event is not only a destination for experiencing Muong ethnic culture but also attracts thousands of visitors to explore this special national site.

Mr. Dang Tuan Chinh, a visitor from Cau Giay District (Hanoi), shared: "Visiting and offering incense at the relic, I was fascinated to see the artifacts firsthand and hear about the life of prehistoric people. I am deeply impressed by the origins and development of our ancestors."

Currently, half of the cave floor area has been reconstructed to recreate the living space and hearths of prehistoric humans. The core area of the relic is protected by surrounding walls and gates, while the buffer zone is preserved in its original state with enhanced greenery to create a natural ecological landscape. Near the entrance, a small pagoda named “Trai Son Coc Tu” was built for visitors to honor their ancestors and meet the spiritual needs of the local community.

Visitors admire artifacts excavated from Xom Trai Cave displayed at Hung Vuong Museum (Campus 3).

Artifacts collected from Xom Trai Cave are currently preserved and displayed at attractive tourist spots, including Hung Vuong Museum (Campus 3) in Hoa Binh Ward and the National Museum of History in Vietnam.

Mr. Bui Van Linh – Secretary of the Muong Vang Commune Party Committee – affirmed: "Since being ranked as a special national relic, many groups of tourists have come to visit. Local authorities and residents are strengthening connections with the Vietnam Tourism Association and international cave exploration societies to promote the historical and cultural values of this extraordinary archaeological site."

Bui Minh