Bảo tàng lịch sử Quốc gia

Before the excavation, the site of the palaces Ta Vu and Huu Vu is two rectangular earth portions, rather flat, about 1m higher than the yard of dragons. Toward 1996, 1997, this site underwent an exploration excavation to prepare for an excavation of large extent in 2004, at a depth of 0,2m to 1,2m, which discovered many architectural planes with traces of reparations such as bordering of foundations, floors, pedestals of columns, foundation stones and column fortifications.

1. Sector of Ta Vu: The vestiges of Ta Vu are not so numerous as those of Huu Vu, and are chiefly portions of foundation borderings, concentrated in the east part of the pit, formed by massive bricks, piled up alternately without mortar (one finds until 6 lines of foundation, parallel or concurring, which are borderings of foundations of constructions dating from the 17 – 18^th centuries). One finds also part of a floor of Ta Vu, paved with square bricks, red or of colour brick yellow, with dimension 33cm×33cm×5cm. Lines of bricks placed in straight line and alternate are a current technics under the Le. Besides, one finds column pedestals in white grey limestone, of small and medium dimensions (about 40-49cm), some pedestals have hexagonal protuberances. Certain pedestals are formed by pebbles and pieces of materials of construction mixed with yellow clay well compressed. The fortification pillars are nearly square, 1m – 1,2m wide, disposed in a system of fortification. The vestiges of fortifications and of column pedestals consisting of 13 rows of pillars show that the construction have 10 cases, 2 lateral rooms as in Huu Vu. This plan is analog to the fortification of foundations and columns of the first construction at Huu Vu. Based on the earth layers and on the materials of construction, we think that the construction is dated from the 17 – 18^th century, under the restored Le. The architectural vestiges under the first Le, when the Ta Vu begins to be built, are only some types of materials and of architectural decorations, mixed in the layer of the restored Le. It is probable that under the restored Le, when the Ta Vu begins to be reconstructed, this plan has been levelled down by the contemporary architects.

2. Sector of Huu Vu: Situated to the west of the Principal Palace, in front of Ta Vu, it consists of 3 architectural plans which have been restored.

First construction: rectangular, of rather great extent, 47m long, 10m wide, turned westward, i.e. toward the center (dragon yard). The rows of fortification pillars (13 rows) show that the construction consists of 10 cases and 2 lateral rooms. The cases are equally wide, about 4m, the lateral rooms are about 2,5m wide. Date: 17-18^th century. Under these architectural vestiges are some portions of foundations dating from the 15^th century (first Le) which suit rather well with the foundations of the restored Le. For the sake of preservation of the architectural vestiges, this architectural plan cannot be determined, but one can already conclude that under the restored Le, the architectural plan of the first Le has beeb reutilised.

Second construction: situated to the north-west of the first construction, of small extent, 18,6m long, 7m wide, turned eastward. The 8 rows of pillars show that the construction consists of 7 cases (5 cases, 2lateral rooms). The structure of the earth layers, the architectural vestiges and the ancient objects discovered show that the construction is dated rather late, toward the end of the 18^th century, beginning of the 19^th, with reutilisation of the first architectural plan. Except the roof tiles (ponted tiles), materials such as bordering bricks, floor paving bricks and column pedestals are taken from the preceding construction.

Third construction: situated at the south, the remaining traces are two portions of foundation bordering, forming an angle, the first portion is about 8m long, of north-south direction, formed with red and grey massive bricks, with various dimensions. The second portion is 6m long, turned toward the east and and joins with the first at the south-west. The earth layers, the structure, the foundation borderings and the materials show that the construction is dated rather late, toward the end of the 18^th century, beginning of the 19^th. The plan, the extent, the dimensions as well as the relations with the surrounding constructions cannot be determined because of the requirement of preservation of the architectural vestiges. Besides, one has discovered other vestiges such as the bordering of the floor next to the Principal Palace, the steps of the staircases, the veranda, the stone foundation borderings.

Thus, the excavation results of the two palaces Ta Vu and Huu Vu, show that these are two constructions of large extent (consisting of more than 10 cases, rectangular, of great length, of type “giai vu”). The Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu reports that King Le Hien Tong has had palaces repaired and added, according to the type “giai vu” at Lam Kinh. The discovered plans are vestiges of palaces of this types of “giai vu”. The superposition of architectural layers show that reparations and improvements are continuously succeding, from the 15^th to the 18^th century, chiefly in the 17 – 18^th century, and are a current phenomenon for the architectural constructions of Lam kinh, which plays a particularly important role for the dynasty of Le.

As for the function of these palaces, the discovered objects, especially the very numerous ceramics with objects of worship (vases of incense, pedestal of lamps) and other vestiges, show that the hypothesis that Ta – Huu Vu are places of worship and ceremony of the tombs and of the temples of Lam Kinh is a plausible hypothesis.

Nguyen Van Doan