The secret of the remains of 12,000 years old

The unique way of shielding - putting sea snail in the eye socket of the dead was discovered by archaeologists, Vietnam Institute of Archeology at Phia Vai cave in Coc Ngan village, Xuan Tan commune (Na Hang - Tuyen Quang). Revealing secrets about the burial of primitive people.

Legend of 'ghost mountain'

Associate Prof. Dr. Nang Nang Chung - Vietnam Institute of Archeology said, Phia Vai cave was discovered

Associate Prof. Dr. Nang Nang Chung (right) discovered many ancient relics at Phia Vai cave .

through the legend of 'ghost mountain' Phia Vai in the area of ​​Coc Ngan village, Xuan Tan commune. Indigenous people believe that it is a sacred cave with ghosts. There have been many locals strayed into the cave and left sequelae like mental.

Because of that, the people here regard Phia Couple cave as a sacred sacred place. Even cows and buffaloes are carefully kept by people, not to stray into restricted areas. That is the reason why the Phia Couple cave is still intact to this day.

It took a long time to convince with the help of the local government, Mr. Chung and his colleagues entered the cave. The archaeological team bought sticky rice, chicken, and offerings, and invited Mr. Mo to worship for peace. The team also had to work very hard to hire local workers to serve the excavation of the archaeological site.

When digging more than 50cm, Mr. Chung saw several black-and-black burns, similar to chicken bones and pigs. Knowing that he was about to reveal the remains as rumors, he let the workers cover up so that the people could not be afraid and joked that it was just dead animal bones in the cave.

Turn on the stone to find the remains

According to Associate Professor Dr. Trinh Nang Chung and GS. Nguyen Lan Cuong, Phia Vai has a store of 35m wide, 11m deep and 4m high ceiling. Unfortunately, large limestone rocks have collapsed from the ceiling, losing a large area that cannot be excavated.

In the rest, archaeologists dug two big holes with an area of ​​40m ² and discovered hundreds of artifacts, mainly rough and rough tools. When the remains of human remains were discovered, archaeologists were very happy but the biggest obstacle was the stalactite pillar that plunged deep into the ground to touch the remains. After weeks of research, the experts decided to remove the upper part of the jelly to get the remains. Just relying on stalactites stalactites deep into the ground, archaeologists have also guessed the age of the remains of over 10,000 years old.

The jelly was opened, showing that the original human remains were placed in a recumbent posture, his knees were rocked, his legs straightened. Based on the hard limestone sediments and rudimentary tools found buried by the dead, Mr. Chung identified the relics of Phia Vai bearing the characteristics of Hoa Binh culture in the early period of 12 thousand years. In particular, around the remains also found traces of circular fire and very large stones - perhaps used by primitive people in community activities.

To help the skeleton remains intact, archaeologists have decided to let painter Nguyen Dinh Hien use a grave plaster grave to study. Based on the wear of the teeth, the degree of attachment of the skull joint, the angle of the pelvic bone, the lower jaw bone . archaeologists conclude that this is the remains of a woman in the primitive community, about 45-50 years old. Because the left arm bone is relatively intact, the archaeological team also calculated the height of this person is 1.56m. In particular, the skull rests on a stone shelf and has a high level of fossilization. In the jaw on the small molar, large mortar and canine intact, only missing front teeth.

Put the snail into the eye socket

Few Phia Cave Area

According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nang Nang Chung, Phia Couple's skeleton has a fairly intact skull but due to the stone pillar being compressed, it is squashed in the right vertex and right side, causing the right angle of the two cymbals and cheeks. When archaeologists used professional tricks to discover, it revealed the two snails in the eye socket of this woman.

According to GS. Nguyen Lan Cuong, this is a type of sea snail named Cyprea arabica. The snail lying on its back in the left eye socket is 27.23mm long, 16mm wide. The snail in the right eye socket is 21.61mm long, 13.13mm wide.

According to Mr. Cuong, when this woman was still alive, people used this type of sea snail to exchange goods like a currency. During the burial, a snail was placed on each eye so that when the skin of the flesh was gone, the snail would fall to the eye socket as if it were a pupil.

Based on the position of the hand bones, ribs and hip pelvis, GS. Nguyen Lan Cuong said that this is the remains of the burial form, not rebuilt. The remains of Hoa Binh culture have never been discovered. Similar dating skulls discovered in Southeast Asia did not see the way to put snails in the eye sockets like in Phia Couple.

'The original remains of human remains in the Phia Couple cave are of great value for archeology. It is a big discovery, needing thorough research. However, the preservation of human remains is not simple, so there must be the participation of all levels of the sector ' , said Prof.Dung Nang Chung.