A deep cave in Dak Nong contains ancient prehistoric human remains, revealing strange ancient artifacts

On July 14, the leader of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Dak Nong province said that the Department of Earth Sciences and Geohazard Mitigation under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) had re-evaluated for the first time in 2023 and was officially recognized as a UNESCO Dak Nong Global Geopark for the new development period of 2024-2027.

Một hang đá hut hút ở Đắk Nông chứa di cốt người tiền sử cổ xưa, xuất lộ hiện vật cổ lạ mắt- Ảnh 1.

Cave C6-1 in Nam Tan village, Nam Da commune, Krong No district, Dak Nong province - where prehistoric people once lived. Photo: VU LONG

This decision is not only a recognition of the efforts, will and determination of the government and people of Dak Nong province in the work of preserving and promoting the overall value of heritage types, but also opens up opportunities to attract socialized capital sources in the sustainable socio-economic development of the locality.

Recently, reporters from the Ho Chi Minh City Law Newspaper, along with Dr. La The Phuc and his wife, Deputy Director of the Institute of Geology and Applied Minerals (Hanoi, former Director of the Vietnam Geological Museum), had a field trip to the C6-1 volcanic cave, where prehistoric people lived.

Một hang đá hut hút ở Đắk Nông chứa di cốt người tiền sử cổ xưa, xuất lộ hiện vật cổ lạ mắt- Ảnh 2.

Dr. La The Phuc inside cave C6-1, where prehistoric people once lived. Photo: VU LONG

Cave C6-1 was formerly called Bat Cave by locals because of the large number of bats living there. Today it is called a prehistoric cave, located in Nam Tan village, Nam Da commune, Krong No district (Dak Nong province).

Một hang đá hut hút ở Đắk Nông chứa di cốt người tiền sử cổ xưa, xuất lộ hiện vật cổ lạ mắt- Ảnh 3.

PV of Phap Luat TP.HCM newspaper with Dr. La The Phuc and his wife at cave C6-1. Photo: Photo: VU LONG

This cave is located about 6.2km northwest of Chu B'Luk crater (Buon Choah commune, Krong No district). It was directly discovered and identified by Dr. La The Phuc and his colleagues in 2007. Prehistoric relics were discovered in 2017, and detailed research and excavation were conducted to preserve the museum on site from 2017-2019.

According to Dr. La The Phuc, C6-1 cave is 293.6m long, 4.6m deep, type of cave entrance: secondary, number of cave floors: 1 floor. This is a primary cave, of endogenous origin, formed during the eruption and cooling process of basalt lava flows from Chu B'Luk volcano.

Một hang đá hut hút ở Đắk Nông chứa di cốt người tiền sử cổ xưa, xuất lộ hiện vật cổ lạ mắt- Ảnh 4.

Prehistoric survival tools inside cave C6-1. Photo: VU LONG

The structure of cave C6-1 has some differences from other caves in the system. It is a lava flow from the North to the South, then split into two branches due to the influence of ancient terrain, then merged together and continued to flow to the South.

Một hang đá hut hút ở Đắk Nông chứa di cốt người tiền sử cổ xưa, xuất lộ hiện vật cổ lạ mắt- Ảnh 5.

Unique volcanic cave C6-1 in Nam Tan village, Nam Da commune, Krong No district (Dak Nong province) . Photo: VU LONG

The cave branches out with a fairly wide opening, forming a fairly circular shape on the plan. Right after the branching section of the cave is a ceiling collapse, creating three different secondary cave entrances in this area: Entrance one faces southwest, where valuable prehistoric relics were discovered and excavated; entrance two faces northeast, and entrance three faces northwest.

According to Dr. La The Phuc, the results of interdisciplinary and specialized research have established that cave C6-1 is a dual heritage entity (or mixed heritage) between natural heritage and cultural heritage. Natural heritage includes biodiversity and geological heritage.

Một hang đá hut hút ở Đắk Nông chứa di cốt người tiền sử cổ xưa, xuất lộ hiện vật cổ lạ mắt- Ảnh 6.

Stalactites inside volcanic cave C6-1. Photo: VU LONG

In terms of biodiversity, this is the habitat and gathering place of many species of flora and fauna, including some endemic species found only in the Dray Sap Special-Use Landscape Forest, or even only in volcanic caves, including: bats, snakes, geckos, scorpions, spiders, frogs, snails, ground bees...

Cave C6-1 is also a very rare volcanic cave in the world containing prehistoric human remains, of outstanding global value. In the cave, there are residential remains, workshop remains and burial remains dating back to the Neolithic period (from 7,000 - 4,000 years).

Một hang đá hut hút ở Đắk Nông chứa di cốt người tiền sử cổ xưa, xuất lộ hiện vật cổ lạ mắt- Ảnh 7.

Excavation pit containing prehistoric human remains in volcanic cave C6-1, in Nam Tan village, Nam Da commune, Krong No district (Dak Nong province). Photo: VU LONG

“Right next to the lava field containing this volcanic cave system, in 2022, my wife, I and our colleagues discovered prehistoric relics from the Paleolithic period and excavated 4-2024.

Cave C6-1 is one of 15 volcanic caves with traces of prehistoric people with types of residential relics, workshop relics, burial relics, temporary hunting camp relics (excavated) and relics related to religious rituals.

These relics are complete pieces of the history of human development on the Mo Nong plateau from the late Paleolithic period to the present" - Dr. La The Phuc said.