In order to serve to embellishment project of central Lam Kinh relic, National Museum of Vietnamese History and The Department of Culture of Thanh Hóa province investigated and excavated Central Chamber size – a special architectural unit of Lam Kinh relic. Upon the field work, the archaeologists determine (form, define) the excavation holes focus in high hillock in “H” shaped in Dragon yard, area is over 1000 sq metre. The result shows two architecture spaces in “H” shaped lie tightly on each other, with the equivallent size and lay-out (disposition) (two front and behind buildings contain 9 rooms, in there, there are 5 rooms in 5 metres width, the next 2 rooms in 3.5 metres wide, the end outside 2 rooms in 2 metres wide; the center building has 5 rooms, in there, there is a center room in 5 metres wide, the next 2 rooms in 3.5 metres wide, the end outside 2 rooms in 2 metres wide. Under these two architecture layers is the culture layer in 0.5 metre thick, reflect the residence process in this area of Trần dynasty, suitable to the note of Vĩnh Lăng epitaph and history.
The intersection angle of Central Chamber’s foundation of early Lê dynasty
- The first level dated of early Lê dynasty (15th – 16th century) with the plan in H shaped, contain the whole sign of architecture foundation, and the drainage system surround. The base binding and pavement method reserved many technological characteristics of Trần dynasty, to show by size, in red and blue greyish colors, the brick in square shaped. Many base parts are undamaged with 3 – 4 brick ranges arrange closely, don’t have the adhesive, especially, there is a base position high 1 metre (at southeast corner). We also determine a three-step staircase is intact, with the water inlet sluice similar to the architecture of Trần dynasty, with the door pivot hole be pierced on a base brick.
Door-hinge sign of Central Chamber armpit (at the east)
The whole north of Central Chamber were settled specially, it is both the function bound the house’s foundation and the function is subterraneous drainage, above was covered by the pavement brick. This foundation is 36 centimetres wide, run from east to west, longer than the intersection of 2 drainage heads throw out. Nowaday, the continuous part of this drainage ditches, and the relation between them and the drainage system of the center zone are still not clear.
In house’s womb, beside determine the base consolidate system with many pebble layers are cramed tightly, found the architectural material be decorated skilfully with the dragon shaped has 4 – 5 claws, express clearly the quality of court architecture, but it’s usually unlacquered, in scarlet color, similar to the architectural decoration method of Lý – Trần dynasty, but basically, it changed in express way.
Some architectural decorations in Central Chamber of early Lê dynasty
- The second architectural layer dated correlate with late Lê dynasty (17th century). Almost the foundation was disordered, but basically still restored the plan in
H shaped similar to early Lê dynasty layer. Especially, on the surface and inside the house is intact the base and consolidation system lie under. In particular east side is intact, with the 3 wooden-hammer brick ranges arranged tightly, without adhesive. The blackish or whiteish grey bricks arranged alternately in different sizes. The foundation has different structure, maybe due to the space is unsteady height before to build. This thing is clear in the foundation of the southeast and southwest, the foundation was built different from the others surround, the solidate structure contain many wooden-hammer brick ranges arrange overlapping with each other, at the first sight we think they are the city wall’s composition, similar to the city wall in Đoan Môn – Thăng Long – Hà Nội. Almost the intersection corner positions of the foundation ranges were tackled more meticulous, with the specific method of wooden-hammer brick range. At the northwest corner also found the stair and door pivot sign.
Central Chamber banister decoration
Remarkablely, in this architecture layer also has big banisters decorated dragon, cloud and squirrel. These are special rare artifacts in whole relic. Upon the figure, size, especially, decoration designs, the researchers believed that they dated equivalently with the banisters in Kính Thiên and Literature Temples (Hà Nội Capital). The behind banister of Central Chamber was created with a pair of squirrel.
Thus, through the archaeological documents, Central Chamber exist from 15th to 17th – 18th century, the structure in “H” shaped is very special way. The determination Central Chamber has 2 architecture layers of early Lê and late Lê dynasty, dated from 15th to 17th – 18th century proved the existance process of this relic in history. In our opinion, these are 2 dates reflect 2 new building times, and during 300 years of existance, an architecture as Central Chamber could be repaired many times certainly.
Some architecture decorations in Central Chamber of late Lê dynasty
The excavation result in large area, apart from the discovery of the space of 2 architecture layers, there are not many artifacts in here, mainly is high-quality ceramic. That thing contributes to explain the usage function of Central Chamber is only a place for the King give audience, but it doesn’t seem for the King stay as in many previous suppositions. Maybe, the King and the officials, servants be stayed at the east of Lam Kinh center, with the horizontal building, length range of the architectural ruins which had been discoveried recently, but have not had detailly studied yet.
Nguyễn Văn Đoàn