Close-up look at the enchanting cave just discovered in Thanh Hoa

During the process of quarrying stone at Dun Mountain, Ha Long Commune, Ha Trung District, Thanh Hoa Province, the enterprise discovered a cave system with underground streams flowing inside and many beautiful natural stalactites.

Dun Cave (also known as Dun Mountain Cave) is located in the territory of Ha Long commune, about 12km from Ha Trung district center, about 40km from Thanh Hoa province center.

Cave at Dun Mountain was discovered by local people long ago and considered a sacred place. It is known that this was a shelter for local people during the two resistance wars against France and the US, and was also a place that provided domestic water source irrigation for people in 3 villages: Nghia Dung, Khac Dung and Gia Mieu of Ha Long commune, Ha Trung district.

Dun Mountain Cave received attention and interest when in April 2024, a company in the process of mining stone, discovered the cave entrance. Then, the People's Committee Ha Trung district Coordinate with the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Natural Resources and Environment of Thanh Hoa and the People's Committee of Ha Long commune to inspect the current status.

In Dun cave, there are many natural stalactites, and there is an underground water source flowing into the provincial relic area of Ben Quan Lake.

Actual survey results show that Dun mountain has a scale and area of about 6.5 hectares, located in the planning for exploration and exploitation of minerals for building materials. build usually. In Dun mountain there is a cave The cave is about 70m long, 50m wide, and 40m high. It has four entrances to the East, West, South, and North. There are many natural stalactites in the cave, and an underground water source flowing into the Ben Quan Lake provincial relic site…

After discovering this cave system, authorities have Temporarily suspend stone mining activities and conduct field surveys to have a basis for taking the next steps.

According to the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Thanh Hoa province, Dun mountain not in the zoning area protection of national relics: Gia Mieu Communal House, Trieu Tuong Temple and Mausoleum; located behind and about 600m from Truong Nguyen Mausoleum; about 300m from the scope and boundary of the detailed planning scale 1/500 to preserve, restore and promote the value of the historical relic site of Trieu Tuong Temple and Mausoleum, Ha Long commune, Ha Trung district.

It is known that Dun Cave was discovered before the enterprise was granted the right to exploit stone in Dun Mountain. Many locals consider this a sacred area.

According to authorities, Dun Mountain was recognized by the Provincial People's Committee. Thanh Hoa Granted a quarry exploitation license to Tien Thinh Company Limited. Within the granted quarry area, there are 2 entrances to the cave inside Dun Mountain (Northwest).

To have an important basis to advise the People's Committee of Thanh Hoa province to implement the planning, protection and conservation of Dun mountain site, and gradually exploit it effectively. Regarding the potential of natural landscape, historical culture of Dun mountain associated with tourism development, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Thanh Hoa in coordination with the People's Committee of Ha Trung district organized a scientific workshop "Evaluating the location, historical and cultural value, regional connection of Dun mountain in the historical and cultural space of the national relic of Trieu Tuong mausoleum and Nguyen dynasty relics in the area".

At this workshop, there were 18 presentations by experts and scientists directly researching the historical, cultural, geological and geomorphological values of Dun Cave; the regional connection of Dun Mountain in the historical and cultural space of the national relic of Trieu Tuong Temple and Mausoleum, Nguyen Dynasty relics in the area; the work of preserving, promoting and developing the value of Dun Cave.

The experts' report shows that in Dun cave discovered many archaeological relics belonging to many different periods, all are ceramic. Through collecting 17 pieces of prehistoric pottery, scientists determined that they were all in a broken state, including 3 mouth pieces and 14 body pieces of two different types.

The Chairman of Thanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee has directed to completely stop stone mining activities at Dun Mountain so that the relevant agencies can carry out the protection of the relic.

The outer type is dark gray/yellow gray; the ceramic bone is rough, dark gray, low firing temperature so the ceramic bone is quite friable; these may be relics from the period Late Neolithic - Early Bronze Age. The second type has a reddish brown surface mixed with a lot of milky white or dark brown sand. These could be relics from the pre-Dong Son - Dong Son period in the Ma River basin...

Prehistoric pottery fragments found in Dun Cave

According to scientists, Dun Cave contains double value about natural and cultural heritage. Dun Mountain has a close relationship, located in space of Trieu Tuong mountain area - where Trieu Tuong mausoleum national relic is located. This place contains relics and archaeological artifacts of both prehistoric and historical times, proving that many periods people used this cave as temporary residence to avoid natural disasters, enemies or as a place to station troops during wars. In addition, the richness, diversity and uniqueness of the system rosin in the cave will be attractive destination for tourists if preserved.

Recently, the Chairman of Thanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee has directed to completely stop stone mining activities at Dun Mountain so that the relevant agencies can complete procedures to demarcate the relic protection area.

Source