Archaeologists have discovered numerous ancient artifacts from the Metal Age (between 6,000 and 1,000 B.C.) dating back some 3,000 to 3,800 years during excavations at the relics site on Dong Dau Hill in Hanoi's Ba Vi suburban district, the Hanoi Museum announced on March 13.

An excavation site on Dong Dau hill in Doai Village, Hanoi’s outskirt district of Ba Vi where the stone axes were unearthed. Photo: The Hanoi Museum

On a small excavation site, archaeologists have found various artifacts from the Stone and Bronze Ages. Stone objects are production tools such as axes, hammers, chisels, and jewelry.

The ceramic relics obtained have two main colors: reddish brown and dark gray. Approximately 5,000 pieces of pottery have been unearthed containing the elements of the Go Mun culture (1,000-600 BC), which is pottery with decorative patterns on the flared mouth and ceramic pieces with musical pentagram patterns in the form of water waves.

Besides, archaeologists have also unearthed pottery belonging to the cultures of Dong Dau (1,500-1,000 BC) and Phung Nguyen (2,000-1,500 BC).

At present, most of the archaeological relics of the Metal Age in Hanoi are threatened by the process of urbanization. The remaining sites include Vuong Chuoi, Go Hen, and Dong Dau Hill.

Dong Dau Hill Site is one of the most important archaeological relics in Hanoi, making an important contribution to proving the presence, settlement, and development of the Metal Age in the capital. It is a residential relic with thick cultural layers and many stages of continuous development from Phung Nguyen to Go Mun cultures. Most of the artifacts were found on the southern slope of the hill.