The Essence of the Early Days of Nation Building

Today, amidst the fertile fields of Yen Lac Town, Yen Lac District, Vinh Phuc Province (formerly), the National Historical Site of Dong Dau still stands tall as a continuous cultural source that has never ceased to flow.

The Dong Dau archaeological site was discovered in February 1962, covering an area of approximately 86,000 square meters. Since then, Dong Dau has undergone seven excavations, covering a total area of more than 800 square meters.

The National Historical Site of Dong Dau in Yen Lac Town, Yen Lac District, Vinh Phuc Province (formerly)

In 1996, the Dong Dau archaeological site was designated as a National Historical Site by the Ministry of Culture and Information (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism). Many artifacts excavated from here are now preserved and displayed at the Vinh Phuc Museum and the National History Museum, contributing to research, education, and the promotion of ancient Vietnamese culture.

The artifacts found reflect the craftsmanship and creative thinking of ancient Vietnamese people.

Recognizing the importance of preserving this “prehistoric treasure,” Vinh Phuc Province (formerly), now Phu Tho Province, has been implementing the Project for the Protection and Promotion of the Value of the Dong Dau Archaeological Site for the 2025-2035 period and beyond. This is seen as a long-term strategy to comprehensively preserve and promote the site’s value, linked with sustainable cultural and tourism development.

In the 2025-2030 period, the locality will focus on planning, zoning, and marking the boundaries for site protection; preserving some of the outdoor excavation pits for sightseeing and study. Additionally, a digital database will be created, with all related documents and artifacts digitized, and a dossier will be completed for the government to recognize Dong Dau as a Special National Heritage Site. The province also plans to organize a national scientific conference, produce documentary films, build a website introducing the site, and develop tourism routes connecting Dong Dau with other historical and scenic sites in the region.

The Dong Dau archaeological site continues to be comprehensively preserved and promoted, linked with cultural and tourism development.

In the 2030-2035 period, the focus will be on completing infrastructure for the site, including a green park and a display house for research and visits. It is expected that two to four volumes introducing the value of the site will be compiled, along with at least five exhibitions both domestically and internationally to widely promote the image of Dong Dau as the cradle of ancient Vietnamese culture. Additionally, the locality will organize professional training courses for cultural staff and tour guides to ensure the preservation work is carried out systematically and scientifically.

When the project is completed, Dong Dau will not only be an archaeological site but also a national cultural-historical center, connecting the past and present. The space of the site will be harmoniously planned between nature and architecture, serving both research and traditional education, while also becoming a unique tourism highlight. From then on, Dong Dau – where the essence of the nation has been condensed over thousands of years – will always be a symbol of eternal vitality, a reminder to today’s generation of the responsibility to preserve and promote the invaluable heritage left by our ancestors.

Le Minh