Apart from discovering the architectural vestiges of Ly, Tran, Le, Nguyen dynasties, the National Museum of Vietnamese History archaeologists also collected a collection of abudant artifact with diffirent types in this relic, in which most of them are building materials, architectural decorations and ceramics of Ly dynasty (11th - 13th century) and Restored Le dynasty (16th - 18th century) and the few of the other ones are in the Chinese domination period (1st - 10th century), Mac dynasty (16th century), Nguyen dynasty (19th - early 20 century).
Apart from discovering the architectural vestiges of Ly, Tran, Le, Nguyen dynasties, the National Museum of Vietnamese History archaeologists also collected a collection of abudant artifact with diffirent types in this relic, in which most of them are building materials, architectural decorations and ceramics of Ly dynasty (11th - 13th century) and Restored Le dynasty (16th - 18th century) and the few of the other ones are in the Chinese domination period (1st - 10th century), Mac dynasty (16th century), Nguyen dynasty (19th - early 20 century).
1. Group of the building materials, architectural decorations Most of them were made of terracotta and the few of other ones were made of stone (as: suppot of colum, architectural decorations), metal (as: bronze, iron nails):
- The building materials, architectural decorations of Ly dynasty include: types of bricks, paving tiles, tube tiles, roof tiles, animal figurines, fragment of architectural decorations…
+ bricks are in rectangular with the relief Chinese characters: "Produced in 7th year of Chuong Thanh Gia Khanh, 3th Ly king (1066)"
+ paving tiles with chrysanthemum, poeny flower decorations
+ roof tiles in the shoe-cap shape
+ tube tiles with lotus motif
+ fragments of architectural decorations in Boddhi-leaf with dragon motif (and Chinese characters were relief in rear) and fragments of Dravapala statue (temple gardian)
+ animal figurines as: stone lion, madarin duck
In particular, through an exploration, we discovered a haft of big stone column with mesurement: remaining length: 135cm, diametre: 87cm. This is may be a Linga symbol (symbol of male sexual organ) because it like one which has been in Dam pagoda, Bac Ninh province (it is displaying in the Vietnam Fine Art Museum, now).
According to the local resident's sayings, this column has been inside the pagoda but then it was moved from its original position.
- The building materials, architectural decorations of Tran dynasty as: types of square paving tile (both of types with and without decoration), rectangle bricks with diffirent mesurements, rooftiles (in thes shoe-cap shape, tube tile), some architectural decorations with dragon motif and fragments of rooftiles with dragon, mandarin duck figurines.
- The building materials, architectural decorations of Restored Le dynasty: most of them are building materials as: bricks, tube tiles, yin-yang rooftiles with chrysanthemum, lemon flower decorations, types of architectural elements with knob decoration and roof fringes with T,L character decoration.
- The building materials, architectural decorations of Mac dynasty as: decorative bricks with sacred animal decoration (a horse is transforming into dragon)
- The building materials, architectural decorations of Nguyen dynasty as: rectangle bricks without decoration and bricks that were produced in Bat Trang village.
2. Ceramic ware:
The Vietnam ceramics are in the majority and in the same dates with the above groups of the building materials, architectural decorations. Apart from the few of artifacts as: glazed ceramic, stoneware, terracotta of the Chinese domination period (1st - 3rd century A.D), most of them are types of bowl, plate, lamstand, incense-burner…
- Ceramic wares of Ly, Tran dynassties (11th - 14th century) are the glazed ceramics as: glaze of ivory, white, brown pattern, celadon, brown (dark, bright)…
- Ceramic wares of Restored Le dynasty: most of them are the blue and white, greyish glazed ceramics and dated 17th - 18th century.
Apart from above artifacts, in this collection, there are also a lot of stoneware containers of Ly, Tran dynasties with types as: pot, jar, storage jar, lid…
The artifacts collected from these exploration and excavation, and in this relic reflected the whole appearance of the architecture as well as the religious activities which has been hold there in history.
In attention, these are appearance of the artifacts with big mesurement, skillful decorations and a lot of the new building materials or architectural decorations.
Many ceramics are the typical characteristics of Ly, Tran, Le dynasties which are great value for studying, exhibiting and they will be display in the Anniversary of 1000 year Thang Long - Ha Noi capital (in 2010).
In the last time, in this pagoda, a lot of artifacts were suddenly discovered. They are value and precious artifacts include: the building material, architectural decoration, ceramic ware. In the forthcoming plan, a lot of these architectures will be rebuilt and restored. However, in procession of carrying out these works, there will be vestiges and artifacts certainly recovered. So, please contact the local government or professional offices which are duty for collecting and solving them.
Nguyen Van Doan