1
Inventory Circular Earthwork Sites in Vietnam
Chanthourn Thuy,
Lecturer, Royal Academy of Cambodia,
Phnom Penh Cambodia,
Abstract:
The Project was conducted in order to document of circular earthwork sites and its culture which was
spread throughout the region east of the Mekong River. Research urgently needs to be undertaken on circular
earthwork sites in South West Vietnam. Several sites have been seriously damaged, because of the ignorance of this
most important archaeological site in Southeast Asia. Although these sites are endangered there is a need to
document them and then submit a proposal to the appropriate authorities for conservation. The rich prehistoric
settlements associated with lithic tools and port shards at the sites can provide valuable data on pertinent
archaeological and anthropological issues. The aim of this inventory is to document them for future comparison
between circular earthwork sites in Cambodia and Vietnam (and may be some in Thailand) to determine the nature
of the socio-political dynamic during the period at these sites.
Introduction
Ancient archaeological sites with circle walls, a circle ditch and an inner platform with
usually two entrances are known to local people at the red soil plateau in Vietnamese as "MOI".
It means citadels or fortresses. These sites are located from the Southwest of the Dalat province
down to Tai Ninh province in Vietnam. Then the same types of these sites are also found in the
Northeast of Cambodia in Kompong Cham and Kratie provinces, Banteay Kou means fortress
enclosed by a ditch and 'Banteay Borom Boran' means 'ancient fortress'. These two words are
known to local villagers on the eastern side of the Mekong River in the plateau area of basaltic
red soil regions in Cambodia. The sites are characterised by a circular wall - inside the wall is a
ditch then there is a circle inner platform, which used to be the settlements area. The sites are
usually more than 200 meters in diameter. The circular earthworks was included in a scientific
article of the Bulletin de l'École Française d'Extrême-Orient (BEFEO) for the first time in 1930.
After this initial mention, French scholar M. Louis Malleret studied them in 1959 through
2
reading a report of the French Rubber Plantation Company1. Then in 1962, B.P. Groslier
excavated one of these circular structures. In a French article the sites are noted as 'Village
Rond' or 'Ouverages Circular en Terre'. These words translate into Khmer as 'Phum Moul'
(circle-village) or Banteay Kou.
Therefore "Moi, Banteay Kou, Village Rond or Ouverages Circular en Terre" are
modifies to the Circular Earthwork sites. There are many archaeological remains on the surfaces
of these sites. These formed the results of a small-scale study at Banteay Kou during the French
colonial era. After several political upheavals in region, it was not until 1990s, the study of
Circular Earthworks recommenced.
Research History
Although little systematic research has been carried out on prehistoric Indochina, diverse
evidence indicates that in certain areas in the basaltic red soil plateau of southwest Vietnam and
adjacent to northeastern Cambodia, there are many large Circular Earthworks, which were
inhabited, in prehistoric times. An accidentally research was started during the colonial period
because of a report from the rubber plantation in the areas.
Even though there are many researchers and many times research has been conducted, but this is
still not sufficient and the number of the sites in the areas is not known. Then also there is no link
between the researchers in Cambodia and Vietnam. Therefore it is an opportunity for me to
inventory these archaeological sites and produce a co-operational link with Vietnamese
researchers.
Research urgently needs to be undertaken on circular earthwork sites in South West
Vietnam. Several sites have been seriously damaged, because of the ignorance of this most
important archaeological site in Southeast Asia. The aim of this inventory is to document them
for future comparison between circular earthwork sites in Cambodia and Vietnam to determine
the nature of the socio-political dynamic during the period at these sites.
1
All the rubber plantation companies in the Indochina, belonged to the French Colonial Government from 1836 till
1945.
3
In this Survey I used aerial photos and military map scale 1: 100 000, which was produced in the
1960s. A hand held Geographical Position System (GPS) 76 Garmin, two total stations Sokkia530R were used. This work was conducted with support of other software programs such as
Map-Source, Arc-View, and Corel Draw. The hand held GPS is set into Indian Thailand datum
zoon 48.
The group of Circular Earthworks in Vietnam:
Archaeological works in Vietnam mostly undertaken by foreign scholars during the
period of colonial time have tended to concentrate on the Viet civilisation, and then at the south
they were concentrated on OC OE on Funan civilisation at the lower Mekong, formerly
Cambodia. Studies of prehistory exist on a small scale and have developed slowly compared
with other areas of research in Southeast Asian countries. As yet, this sub-field comprises quite
limited knowledge. Prehistory documents are for the most part, from French colonial times but
even these are few in number. As mentioned above Louis Malleret (1959) identified seventeen
Neolithic round structures: twelve in Sông Bé province, Vietnam and five located in Kampong
Cham province, Cambodia. The only excavation to take place was in 1962, when B.P. Groslier
excavated one of the round structures located at Memot, Cambodia. Recent research presented
nineteen circular earthwork sites in Vietnam, those include the twelve by Louis Malleret.
List of the circular earthwork sites in southern Vietnam:
N
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
Names
Mo
Bu Kar 2
Bu Cho
Tan Hung 1
Tan Hung 2
Tan Hung 3
Tan Hung 4
An Khuong
Thanh Phu 1
Tan Loi
An Phu 1
Loc Tan 1
Loc Hoa
Coordinates
48 P 717191 1310555
48 P 701272 1299836
48 P 704727 1298236
48 P 688478 1289348
48 P 686959 1286052
48 P 687438 1284539
48 P 687802 1284640
48 P 681433 1292973
48 P 677070 1293689
48 P 677347 1287257
48 P 671977 1288463
48 P 674505 1311093
48 P 673746 1317993
Altitudes
193.3 m
150 m
139.0 m
135.4 m
119.6 m
125.0 m
137.1 m
137.4 m
134.2 m
122.5 m
120.0 m
164.8 m
135.7 m
4
14
15
16
17
18
19
Loc Thanh 1
Loc Thanh 2
Loc Tan 2
Thanh Phu 2
Long Ha
Loc Dien
48 P 670132 1307652
48 P 666317 1308476
48 P 679415 1312864
48 P 677280 1293026
48 P 700235 1301735
48 P 676908 1305890
165.2 m
154.9 m
185.7 m
147.2 m
120.5 m
128.5 m
Entrance:
Amount of the nineteen sites in Vietnam, there are three sites that are different from
normal, Loc Hoa has two entrances running in an angle section to the north and the west, Loc
Thanh I has no structure left and at Tan Hung III no structure can be seen too.
There are four sites facing to the north direction = 22.2%
There are three sites facing to the south direction=16.6%
There are two sites facing to the east direction=2%
There are three sites facing to the west direction=16.6%
There are 57% of entrances facing the main direction and 43% facing the other direction.
Therefore we can say that the circular earthwork sites have not had any special function facing
their entrances to the main direction. There are 15 sites with two entrances=80%, among those
the main entrance faces to a field and a second entrance facing to water sources. It means the
water source is a sustainable resource needed very much for these settlements. The structures of
these sites were planed carefully before structuring them.
As I suggested in 2002, these sites may cost a lot of effort to be construct and time too. But a site
may be constructed only during the dry season.
5
6
- Tan Hung 3 cannot identify the character
- Loc Thanh 1 cannot identify the character
- An Khuong has 3 entrances the main entrain at north, second at south and the third at west.
Environments of the Sites
The circular earthwork sites are found on the plateau of the basaltic red soil to the east of
the Mekong River in between Cambodia and southwestern Vietnam, where the basal red soil
starts in Dalat, Vietnam and Ratanakiry, Cambodia is protruding to the south. According to the
fertility of the red soil tropical regions, many types of plants grow very well in the Circular
Earthwork sites in these areas. These include both local fruit and timber trees, such as local crops
bananas, mountain-rice, corns, tee and others. During the French colonial period, other plants
were imported into the area such as cash crops. Among these were rubber and cashew nut trees.
The basaltic red soil contains a very high solution of acids. Testing of the soil shows its PH
is about 4 to 6. It is difficult for organic materials to remain over a long period in this soil. Soil
analysis is necessary to support a sustainable farming system for any crops. Three soil samples
were taken for analysis from the circular earthwork sites.
The soil is very suitable for growing mountain rice and tropical crops. At present, farmers in
this area plant two types of rice. Mountain-rice (Srow Phnom) is planted on the plateaus and
paddy field rice is planted in the lower areas. To date, some sites are planted with mountain-rice;
farmers prepare the ground by slash and burn techniques. Then they use sticks to make holes and
place the rice seeds inside; afterwards the hole is refilled with dirt. This work usually starts at the
end of April and harvesting occurs during November or December.
Evidence of rice production is seen in the tempers of the potsherds fragments from the
excavations at Krek 52/62 (Malleret N 15) in Krek, Cambodia. The forms of rice temper indicate
large grain-rice. This can be directly related to mountain-rice (Thuy Chanthourn, 2002).
Cultural Remains
During the field work I was conducted, cultural objects found just only expose on surface of
sites. They are mainly only potsherds and lithic tools.
7
Lithic:
Today we are living in a period of a steadily advancing technological progress - at the beginning
of the last century atom splitting; space flights and personal computers were unimaginable. In
prehistoric times, change was very much slower. However, some innovation and technological
progress revolutionised the earlier societies and are still important to our daily life. Even though
we are living in a period of high information technology, we still need tools that were invented
by our ancestors. For example, the daily life of a farmer would be unthinkable without the use of
adzes or axes. Only the materials have changed - from stone to metal. Paleolithic man used tools,
weapons and adornments made of stone, wood and bone. Even with the emergence of copper in
the Neolithic age, stone was still in use. There are three main types of lithic objects found at the
circular earthwork sites. Those are Stone axes, polishing stones and spear heads. These tool types
are similar to the Colarour site next to Dong Night River.
Potsherds:
Potsherds are one of the main archaeological remains from the surface of the circular earthwork
sites. Usually, the earthenware pottery was fired for a short time at lower temperatures; thus the
pottery from the circular earthwork sites are more exposed to destruction, especially in highly
acidic soil. On nearly all potsherds the surfaces (inside and out) are destroyed, so it is difficult to
examine the original surfaces, slip or smoothing techniques (slip is a creamy “batter” of clay,
which acts as a cover when the pieces are baked, or fired). Heng, Heang and Som in 1999,
defined three types of temper material which were mixed with the clay: organic material; such as
rice husk, straw, or charcoal (Thuy Chanthourn, 2002); white sand which consists of feldspar;
and red sand or fine grains of laterite. These materials are visible to the naked eye. The
examination of the potsherds from the collection shows that more organic material is
recognizable than red and white sand (Thuy Cahnthourn, 2002).
Dating the site
Because of the acid in the soil, all organic impediments are absent. Therefore, the
radiocarbon dating had not dated the site until the year 1999. During 1999, an attempt to date the
8
site by the German team shows the results. A best possible result is obtained from a site where
the organic temper remains in potsherds. These are mainly rice ash tempers contained in
potsherds. The result is between 1500BC to 2500 BC.
In early 2000, Michael F. Dega submitted five samples to a laboratory for dating the
circular earthwork sites. The five samples are from four different circular earthwork sites. The
dated samples consist of organics acquired from within ceramic pieces. These samples have
undergone AMS dating (accelerator mass spectrometry), as only small amounts of
carbon/organics were available after separating the organic materials from older lime and other
intrusive contaminants. The result showed these sites date range from about 2290 BC to 200 BC .
Nguyen Van Long, a Vietnamese archaeologist from the Institute of social science suggest the
sites dated from about from 2 500 to 2000 BP. Then Nguyen Trung Do, from his excavation at
two sites An Khuong and Loc Than in 2000 proposed the sites date from about from 9500 to
2500 BP.
But the different dates above were taken with only small samples for dating. There are
only seven samples from five circular earthwork sites. As the author has said already, the
archaeological remains at the site are in a layer of 60 to 80 centimeters. If a single sample is
taken for dating, it is a poor interpretation for the site. So it is hard to accept as true the sites
move from east to west. Therefore, to find out about these homogeneous sites, more research has
to be done and the radiocarbon dating must be taken with the sample chosen very carefully from
the lowest layer of the settlement at the site. Then subsequent samples must be taken in sequence
to the top layer of the settlement of the site.
Inhabitation by local Indigenous population:
Researchers suggested the sites were settled by the Mon-Khmer group. Steng is a
minority group that is living next to the circular earthwork to date. This group is living in a big
area from Dalat down to Tai Ninh in Vietnam and further west to Rattanakiry, Mondolkiry,
Kratie and Kompongcham in Cambodia. Tools such as axes and pottery are relatively used by
this ethnics group, but to date they use metal tools instead of stone tools. The majority of these
ethnic groups, Steng is the largest group in the region. Those are to date speaking Khmer.
9
Unfortunately this ethnic group has no written record and wars destroyed their culture very much
therefore they cannot remember what happened at these sites with their ancestors. But some still
remind them that they were used as a citadel2. Dr. Yasushi Kojo and Mr. Pheng Sitha, 1996
suggested the sites were settled by the Mon-Khmer occupation3 in mainland Southeast Asia.
Nguyen Trung Do and Nguyen Van Long also propose these sites may involve the Mon-Khmer
group in Southeast Asia. From the field work that I have been done I can demonstrate that there
are several ethnic groups living from Da Lat down to Loc Ninh. There is only the Steng ethnic
minority which is living close to these circular earthwork sites. Then they have memory of these
sites with their ancestors. Therefore these sites would be linked to the Steng ethnic group. Only
wars in the region that formulate them lost their civilization. They have been facing some
problem with the government in the region too4.
Conclusion
Result from this research:
-
19 circular earthwork sites have been documented in Vietnam (in total there are 55
circular earthwork sites have been documented in Vietnam and Cambodia)
-
Some more sites are in promising to visit
-
Producing of a network for researchers on this topic
-
Present this report
-
Production of a research model to study the circular earthwork sites
-
Cooperation research on this issue will be made between Cambodia and Vietnam
-
Inhabitation by local Indigenous people is suggested of Mon-Khmer
-
Circular earthworks is one the importance archaeological sites in Southeast Asia,
therefore they should be save from any harms to these sites
2
Thuy Chanthourn, Banteay Kou: Memotian Circular Earthworks, 2002.
Yasushi Kojo and Pheng Sitha, "A Preliminary Investigation of a Circular Earthwork at Krek Southeastern
Cambodia", Anthropological Science, No. 106 (3), August 1998, p. 239.
4
To date the ethnic groups in these region are facing politic issue with their government, therefore hundred persons
migrate to Cambodia for their securities and ...
3
10
Since the excavation in 1962 by B.P. Groslier at one site in Memot, after this excavation
this settlement named Memotian Culture then this culture turned out to be one of the most
important cultures in Southeast Asia. Because of the richness of cultural objects, these sites
spread over huge areas in the red soil region east of the Mekong River. Then these sites believe
to be in Neolithic Age. But the recent researchers consider these sites in a time frame during a
period end of Lithic to early Metal Age.
Michael F. Dega has proposed that circular earthwork sites developed from east to west.
This suggests the older sites could be in today's Vietnam, and the youngest would be the round
villages found in present-day Thailand5. I find it difficult to accept this interpretation. The
excavations at the sites unearthed many artifacts that prove the true extent of circular earthworks
societies and their culture. New circular earthwork have been discovered and documented.
Usually, Circular earthwork sites are situated more than 100 meters above sea level. There are
priorities for the circular earthworks; they exist close by each other (at about two to three
kilometers in distance), and they are located close to water resources. The sites are located in the
red basaltic soil that contains a very high solution of acid. Organic materials cannot exist for a
long period of time under these conditions, therefore up to date a precise dating of the site can
not be dated. In the construction of circular earthwork, a great deal of labor and time are needed
for construction of a site. Soil from the ditch would have been used to form the wall and make
the edge of inner platform. Therefore, the volume of the ditch can be calculated using formulae
to 246,449m³. By similar estimations, the total area of typical sites can be calculated to
49,062.5m². To construct a site, at least 150 to 200 workers would have been required. They
would have spent at least four or five months completing the work. This construction leaves
some entrances that can be noted from each site. There are mainly two entrances at each circular
earthwork site. With this research present 19 sites in Vietnam. In total 55 circular earthworks
5
Michael F. Dega, L. Poch, U. Moninitha, and C. Samouen, "The Timing of Cambodian Earthworks", at the SAA
Symposium: Recent Advances in Southeast Asian Archaeology, April 2000, p.3.
11
sites have been documented to date in the region Cambodia and Vietnam. There are some more
circular earthwork sites known about, but not documented yet.
The site used to be settlement camps of belong to the Khmer-Mon groups. The
construction of the wall is for protecting anomies or of animal. The ditch shows not content any
water; therefore this reservoir is only for tram or cap domestic animals. The inner platform of the
site would used to be the areas for housing. From the edge of the ditch is slightly sloping to the
center; this center would have used to build a spirit house for ritual functions.
There are many artifacts unearthed during the recent researches from 1997 to date. These
artifacts prove that the level of Memotian Culture was very highly civilised. They were noble
agriculturalists and skilled craftsmen.
Potsherds, simple adzes, shouldered adzes, chisels,
polishing stones and other products prove the skill of artisans. The inhabitants produced these
artifacts for agricultural functions.
The finds illustrate as the richness of the Memotian Culture from the circular earthwork
sites in the red soil regions of the eastern Mekong Basin. This culture would be in the transition
of the Neolithic Age to the early of Metal Age in the region. There is about 2,000 BC to first or
second BC. This culture is an important culture in Southeast Asia. Consequently, further
cooperation research should undertake in this region (Cambodia and Vietnam) for more
understanding deeply to this culture and its accurate date. Additionally a regulation concerning
these sites must be introduced for conservations and preservations. Otherwise this important
culture will disappear soon because of ignorance.
12
Location of the Circular Earthwork Site
Y
#
#
Y
Y
Y#
#
Y
#
Bo rd er
Y
#
Y
#
Y
#
#
Y
Y
#
#
Y Y
#
Y
#
Y
#
Y
##
Y
Y
#
â
Y
#
YY
#
#
Y
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Y
Y #
#
Y Y#
#
Y
ââ
â â
â
â
â
â â
â
â â
â ââ
40
0
â
Vietn am S it e
#
Y
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â
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40 Kilometer s
Cam bo dia S it e
Mek o ng Riv e r
W at er S ou rce
Bo rd er
13
Structure of the Circular Earthwork site
Cultural remains of the site
14
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