Archived News
23.06.09 In a recent trip to Phan Ri, in central Binh Thuan Province, we discovered an ancient graveyard with a number of bizarre tombs. Solid monoliths, approximately 1.2m X 1.2m X 2.4m were pilled haphazardly among the dunes, along with other curious tomb markers shaped like crouched tigers and decorated in floral patterns. 
The shrimp farmers nearby told us they were aware that the tombs were indeed very old, but had moved most of the monuments into piles, in order to clear land and dig ponds for shrimp. They said a man from Quang Ngai Province had visited the site several times to remove artifacts and valuables from the tombs. It's sad that local people have so little regard--not only for burial grounds, but for the cultural treasures of their own local history. At present, nothing is being done to protect the relics, or determine the time period and ethnic group that they belong to.
Read more about Binh Thuan Province Antiquities and Cham temple ruins.
05.11.08 An official at the Binh Thuan Museum (a collection of largely-empty office buildings on the river-front in downtown Phan Thiet) last week conceded what many had long suspected—namely that nearly all the salvaged artifacts from the famous “Binh Thuan Shipwreck,” which were given to the government museum for display, had been sold by local officials and the money entirely spent. Likewise, money given to the government specifically for the construction of a new museum to house the recovered artifacts had been spent on other items, and none of the funds now remained.
The Binh Thuan Ship Wreck was discovered by fishermen 40 miles south of the coast of Binh Thuan Province at a depth of 40m. Local fishermen plundered significant portions of the wreck while the government deliberated on official approval of an excavation on the wreck. Maritime Explorations excavated the wreck in conjunction with the Vietnam Ministry of Culture, Vietnam Salvage Corporation (Visal), and the Binh Thuan People's Committee.
 The boat was a Chinese junk, 7m wide, 24m long, and divided into 25 narrow compartments. The boat likely belonged to the merchant, I Sin Ho, who was transporting a cargo of silk, porcelain and other Chinese goods from China to Johore for the Dutch, when his ship sank in 1608. The cargo found was comprised of Zhangzhou (Swatow) porcelain and cast-iron pans. This was the first dedicated cargo of Zhangzhou porcelain ever found. There were also fine blue and white ceramics in a variety of shapes. Non-ceramic artifacts included locks, chopsticks, a set of scales, and copper dishes and bowls.
The Vietnamese Government kept all the unique artifacts (including the most valuable and well-preserved items), along with four fully representative sets, designated to remain in Vietnam for ongoing study and museum display. The remaining artifacts (all multiple duplicates), were sold after full documentation. A large part of the profits were earmarked for the construction of a new museum in Phan Thiet to house the remaining wreck finds and other cultural objects. Christie's Australia hosted an auction in Melbourne on the 1st and 2nd of March 2004, in which all lots were sold for a total of A$2 million.
 An official at the museum said that the only items now remaining from the shipwreck included some sets of chopsticks and damaged pottery—items deemed to have little or no retail value--and were kept in a locked storage room where they could not be viewed by the public. This unfortunate outcome was carried out solely by local government officials, despite the best efforts of Maritime Explorations to ensure that the artifacts would be preserved for the public in a fully-financed new museum. Without any remain funds to build the new museum, it is unlikely that even these scraps will ever come into public view.
All 3 Photos by Mike Flecker, Maritime Explorations.
17.03.07 A collection of 24 cannons were found recently in Binh Thuan province, dating back to the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945).
They were discovered by local scrap iron collectors near Gia Huynh Spring, neighboring Dong Nai province. They have now become the subject of intense sales negotiations, after disputes arose over the value of the artifacts. Disagreements arose after local authorities only agreed to pay the finders VND200 million (nearly US$12,500) for the cannons, while an organization in Ho Chi Minh City paid twice that amount, and now possesses the items. Local authorities are hoping to buy back 10 of the cannons, alegedly for local exhibition. Discovery of antiquities is often controversial and scandelous, as items frequently disappear on the black market or in private collections, never to be seen by the public.
Ancient Musical Artifacts Found in Binh Thuan
08.08.06 An ancient musical instrument made of eight slabs of stone has been found in Ham My Commune, Ham Thuan Nam District, Binh Thuan Province.
Two weeks ago, while excavating behind his house, Nguyen Van Thanh found several graves and eight slabs of stone. The longest slab is 95 cm by 17 cm. It weighs 12.5kg. The shortest is 52.5 cm and weighs 4.5 kg.
The instrument is believed to be a Dan Da, a stone, lithophone instrument from the neolithic era. The instrument was made by the Sa Huynh peoples, and found among urn tombs burried in the sand dunes. Only five other examples of the instrument have been found, all in mountainous areas. This is the first to be found in a coastal zone.
27.03.06 Vietnamese archaeologists have unearthed several ancient stone and clay artifacts at an excavation site in Da Kai, Duc Linh District (North-West of Mui Ne-Phan Thiet).
Items include a clay tomb, a stone musical instrument and remnants of hoes, axes, and chisels dating back to the late Iron Age (about 3,000 years ago).
Cham relics have also been uncovered in nearby Ham Thuan Bac district, including the Phu Truong kiln, which is about 570 years old.
Both sites were jointly excavated in late 2005 (although initial excavation at the Da Kai site began in 1994) by the Viet Nam History Museum and the Binh Thuan Provincial Culture and Information Service.
Binh Thuan is rich in little known and unpublicized relics and antiquities. Last year thousands of pounds of Ming Dynasty pieces were found at the "Binh Thuan Shipwreck." A subsequent auction was held by Christie's in Australia to raise money for a museum to be built in Phan Thiet, to house the remaining artifacts and tell the history of the find. It is unclear however, what has happened regarding the status of these funds, the museum, or the remaining relics. Meanwhile, pieces supposedly from the wreck continue to mysteriously show up at auction sites on the web.
03.01.06 Vietbooks held a ceremony Monday to announce ten recently recognized records by the organization, in the realm of Vietnamese Buddhism. Binh Thuan province holds two of the records.
The longest reclining Buddha statue lays at the Linh Son Truong Tho Pagoda on Ta Kou Mountain. The statue is 49 m long and 11 m high, and was built between 1963 to 1966; based on the design by architect Truong Dinh Y. This record has actually been well known from the beginning, but this is apparently the first time to be recognized by the record-keeping organization.
The oldest collection of Buddha’s writings engraved in wood found at the Phat Quang Pagoda in Phan Thiet. The collection consists of 118 wooden planks, featuring the sacred texts in more than 60,000 Chinese scripts, which were engraved between 1704 and 1732. The artifacts were found in the cellar of the pagoda in 1987.
14.06.05 Police in Binh Thuan Province have seized 13 Buddha statues and two ancient bronze bells from a trash picker in Ham Chinh village.
The biggest statue is 44.5cm tall, and weighs 21kg, and the smallest is 18.5cm and 2kg. The bells are each 25.5cm in diameter and weigh 3.5kg.
According to an expert in Phan Thiet city, the bells are thought to be from the Tu Duc Dynasty. The intended fate of the antiquities is not yet clear.
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