A book featuring Oc Eo-Ba The cultural heritage in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang has been published in an effort to preserve and promote the local cultural value.

Acting Director of the Vietnam Institute of Culture and Arts Studies (VICASA) Tu Thi Loan underlined the value of the Oc Eo Culture in the history of the south, at a press briefing to introduce the book held in An Giang on September 12.

Scene at the press briefing

Nguyen Chi Ben, former Director of VICASA, said the book is a collection of research on the Oc Eo – Ba The relic site from domestic experts.

The 450ha Oc Eo relic is located in the area of Sap – Ba The Mountain, Thoai Son district.

The relic was first excavated by French archaeologist Louis Malleret in 1944 and is believed to have been a prosperous commercial port of the once-powerful Phu Nam kingdom 2,000 years ago.

Artifacts found in the area shown an advanced civilization with developed arts and crafts including jewellery and pottery.

There were also a system of canals and various temples and tombs built with bricks and stones, which were a combination of ancient civilizations and the local culture.

Source: VNA