On Tuesday, Da Nang People’s Committee Vice Chairman Huynh Duc Tho asked the city’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and other local relevant agencies to deploy a project to conserve and promote the value of a Cham relic site in Phong Le Village, Hoa Tho Dong Ward, Cam Le District.  His request came after he had inspected the relic site earlier the same day.

The Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture and the National Social Sciences and Humanities University in Ha Noi carried out archaeological excavations at the Phong Le relic site in 2012.  Most notably, the unique cruciform base of an over 1,000-year-old Cham tower was unearthed on a 500m2 area in late August 2012.  The base will facilitate further research into the unique structural characteristics of the Cham tower and its cultural and historic values.  However, there are currently no fences around the site and the excavation pits are only being covered with canvas sheets.

Vice Chairman Tho (third left) and some local authorities representatives at the Phong Le relic site

There are now 7 Cham relic sites in Da Nang, namely An Son, Cam Mit, Khue Trung, Ngu Hanh Son, Phong Le, Qua Giang and Xuan Duong.  According to archaeological experts, excavations are usually conducted at these sites to collect valuable objects and the sites are then handed over to the local authorities for civil and commercial purposes.

It has been suggested that the Phong Le site should be developed as a visitor attraction allowing local residents and visitors to learn about the cultural and historical values of the village.  The site is set in a beautiful landscape in Phong Le ancient village and near other traditional craft villages.