Oc Eo–Ba The Archaeological Site
Óc Eo–Ba Thê
Vietnam · An Giang
In brief
Óc Eo–Ba Thê is an extensive urban site in the Mekong Delta containing residences, craft production areas, religious buildings and canals. The finds reveal regional and long-distance trade connections during the Funan period.
What was found?
- 1Colored glass beads
Found during the Go Oc Eo excavations. They are important to researchers' identification of a workshop area dedicated to glass jewelry production here.
- 2Wooden structural posts
A large standing wooden post and traces of decayed posts were identified. According to researchers, they indicate the presence of raised houses.
- 3Sandstone statue of Vishnu
The four-armed statue found at Ba Thê depicts the Hindu god Vishnu. Its later adaptation for worship as a seated Buddha shows the changing use of the work.
- 4Stone stele with a Sanskrit inscription
One of the stone stelae found at the Linh Son Pagoda location bears a Sanskrit inscription. It documents the use of Sanskrit writing in the region.
- 5Ancient canal remains
An ancient canal was identified during the Go Giong Cat excavations. It directly demonstrates the settlement's relationship with waterways.
What does it point to?
The finds bring together life connected to waterways, specialized glassworking, and Hindu religious representations. Excavations show that the same areas were used in different ways over time for housing, production, and worship.
What did it teach us?
- Revealed that glass jewelry production was concentrated in a specific area.
- Provided evidence of raised dwellings through traces of wooden posts.
- Showed that Hindu representations could be reused in a later Buddhist worship setting.
Latest news / selected archive
The 2022 UNESCO nomination dossier reported that excavations in 2017–2020 identified an ancient canal and dense remains associated with glass jewelry production.
Record
- Culture
- Óc Eo; communities associated with Funan
- First modern dig
- 1944
- Team / historical
- Óc Eo Cultural Relics Management Board and joint Vietnamese-South Korean research teams
- Coordinates
- 10.2567°, 105.1433°
Sources
Nearby excavations
- Sambor Prei Kuk 291 km
- Angkor Archaeological Site 380 km
- Koh Ker 398 km
- Ban Non Wat Archaeological Site 639 km
- My Son Sanctuary 692 km
- Ancient Town of Si Thep 723 km
- —
- —
- 12.000
From beneath the soil: latest discoveries
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HeritageDaily ↗ - Roman-period grave found in the seating area of the ancient theater in Gölyazı
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