Traces of the Origin in Son Vi

Located not far from Hung King Temple, Son Vi Village (Son Vi Commune, Lam Thao District) is one of the villages of the ancient Van Lang Capital. The historical imprints and sediments, mixed with legendary stories passed down through generations, are still preserved by the locals as living evidence of the Son Vi culture—the place where archaeologists and scientists first discovered traces of the origins of the Vietnamese people.

A corner of the model new rural commune Son Vi, spacious and clean

Son Vi Village lies in a low hilly area; the name “Son Vi” means “Vay Mountain,” with the Nom name being “Ke Vay,” still commonly used by the locals. This place preserves many tangible and intangible cultural heritages that bear witness to the legend of the “Vay Village Fortress,” where the soldiers of the Hung Kings fought against the Thuc invaders, protecting the southwest gateway of Phong Chau citadel and safeguarding the borders of Van Lang in ancient times.

The people of Son Vi take great pride in knowing that the place where they were born and raised is one of the cradles of the ancient Vietnamese people. According to the 2019 Lam Thao District Historical and Cultural Relics and Typical Traditional Festivals, the Vuon Sau relic—a Son Vi archaeological site—was discovered in March 1968 at the Rung Sau mound, Son Vi Commune. With unique features identified for the first time in Son Vi, the culture was named “Son Vi Culture,” representing the people of the late Paleolithic period.

Archaeologists have affirmed that the hallmark of Son Vi culture stone tools is the use of river and stream pebbles. These local raw materials were chosen by ancient people for their stable shapes, ideal for making different tools. The typical tools of Son Vi culture are divided into two categories: whole pebble tools (including pestles, grinding tables, and stones) and chipped pebble tools.

Among the collection of Son Vi cultural artifacts, the chipped tools are numerous and varied, including horizontal edge tools, vertical edge tools, quarter pebble tools, and split pebble tools. These tools come in different sizes, showcasing the chipping and shaping techniques that were unique to Son Vi culture.

The collection also includes double-edged, triple-edged tools, pointed tools, multi-edged tools, and some flakes, all created mainly through the chipping technique. In the multi-edged tool type, the chipping technique was used to carve sharp edges by chiseling multiple layers from the natural pebble shell.

Son Vi archaeological tools are displayed at the Hung Vuong Museum in Viet Tri City.

Using these ancient techniques, Hoa Binh culture later evolved, creating stone axes and combining them with grinding techniques. These tools were used by the Son Vi people daily for chopping, cutting, smashing, pounding, and grinding various items such as vegetables and wild game meat.

To date, archaeologists have discovered 230 sites related to Son Vi culture across the country, with 105 of these sites located in Phu Tho province. In Phu Tho, Son Vi culture is primarily concentrated in the river junctions and hills of communes in Lam Thao District, including Son Vi (7 sites), Tien Kien (6 sites), Cao Xa (4 sites), Xuan Huy (3 sites), Xuan Lung (7 sites), and Lam Thao town (7 sites). The culture is also found in the hilly areas along the Thao and Lo rivers in several other districts. Many artifacts from this culture are displayed at the Hung Vuong Museum in Viet Tri City.

As part of the invaluable heritage from the Hung Kings' era of building and defending the country, Son Vi is honored to have its own archaeological site, known as Son Vi culture, which is one of the centers of the Paleolithic era in Vietnam. This site has helped scientists firmly affirm the origin of the Vietnamese people during the pre-Hung Kings“era and the Hung Kings” era on the ancient land of the Fatherland.

Today, Son Vi Commune serves as a gateway for the economic, cultural, and social development of Lam Thao District. With fully developed infrastructure, including electricity, roads, schools, and stations, the people of Son Vi continue to maintain the traditional craft of making Son Vi kettles while also developing various production, business establishments, and companies within the commune. The infrastructure supporting agricultural production has been standardized, focusing on shifting the economic structure, crop and livestock patterns, and developing economic models. The commune is home to 14 historical and cultural relics, seven of which are ranked at the national and provincial levels. With the advantages of being an advanced New Rural commune, Son Vi has been chosen by the district and province as a model New Rural commune in the field of education. By now, the commune has met all the criteria for a model New Rural commune in Phu Tho province for the 2021-2025 period.

Hoang Giang