In the middle of April 2007, during the levelling of the area as a preparation for the construction of a temporary house for the gathering of materials of construction used in the restoration of the Tam Bao of pagoda Sai – Tinh Lau Tu (Vong Thi street, phuong of Buoi, district of Tay Ho, Hanoi), one has discovered an ancient tomb.
In the middle of April 2007, during the levelling of the area as a preparation for the construction of a temporary house for the gathering of materials of construction used in the restoration of the Tam Bao of pagoda Sai – Tinh Lau Tu (Vong Thi street, phuong of Buoi, district of Tay Ho, Hanoi), one has discovered an ancient tomb.
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The tomb appears immediately under the earth layer, it is turned eastward, face to the West lake. It is rather intact, though part of the lid has been broken. The tomb is not constructed with bricks but is made of compound layers formed with reed paper, coal, lime, sugar which is very solid. Since the tomb has not been excavated, the observation on surface can only determine that the tomb structure consists of three layers. The lowest layer has a rectangular plane, is 2,65m long, 2,1m wide; the second layer is also rectangular, 1,98m long, 1,37m wide, 0,11m higher than the lowest layer; the third layer, the uppermost, is filled with earth in form of a turtle shell. This layer is 1,3m long, 0,8m wide and 0,17m higher then the second layer.
The tomb has its stele, but it has been lost, leaving only its pedestal on the front of the tomb. The pedestal is in grey bluish limestone, its upper part is rectangular and has a hole to put the stele (25cm long, 10,5cm wide, 8,5cm deep), its lowest part has the form of kneeled legs, the four exterior sides are decorated with chrysanthemums in relief, carrying clearly the artistic style of the Nguyen (XIX-XX centuries). Dimensions of the pedestal: 41cm long, 27cm wide, 19cm high.
On the 24
th of April 2007, in order to determine the date, the propriety and the plan of treating the tomb, the Service of Culture, Information and Sports of the district of Tay Ho has invited the specialists of various domains belonging to the central and local services of management and research to come and study the tomb. After having studied and examined the actual situation of the tomb, the specialists agree to affirm that this is a tomb of the compound type (hop chat), constructed under the Nguyen (XIX-XX centuries). However, so far the tomb has not been excavated, and we have no information about the owner of the tomb; moreover, after the discovery of the tomb, no family of the region has come to claim that this tomb belongs to them. Therefore, the specialists present in the meeting agree to propose to the local authoriry to convocate the people to find out the measures to scientifically solve the tomb. The best one can do is to carry out the archaeological excavation to determine the date and the name of the owner of the tomb. While waiting for the study results, the local authority must have measures to protect the tomb against damages.
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Thus, beside the tomb of the compound type discovered at the peach
garden of
Nhat Tan, this is the second tomb of this type discovered in the region of
Hanoi these last years. This fact shows that the soil of
Hanoi is still hiding many historical mysteries, waiting to be clarified to contribute to the history of Thang Long –
Hanoi in general and that of the old villages of
Hanoi in particular. Besides, this is a problem worth to be taken account of by the local authority and the different branches of the city in the planing, construction and development of the town. It is also a responsible act toward the national cultural patrimony, conform to the Law on the Cultural Patrimony which has been adopted by the National Assembly.
Thanh Sơn du tử