Two 1,500-Year-Old Brick Tombs Explored in Vietnam

HANOI, VIETNAM—Vietnam News reports that rescue excavations in north-central Vietnam’s Lam River basin have recovered artifacts from two vaulted tombs at the Ru But brick tomb site. The site was discovered when a local resident started to plant trees in the area last spring. According to Nguyen Van Anh of Vietnam National University, both of the structures were made with low-fired red or grey rectangular bricks in varying sizes. A few of the bricks were decorated on their narrow edges with checkerboard patterns, rosettes, and X shapes. Each tomb was made up of a burial pit, an entrance passage, and a burial chamber. Based upon these characteristics, Anh has dated the tombs to between the fourth and sixth centuries A.D. Glazed bowls, lids, cups, and dishes; a possible earthenware lampstand; earthenware pots, jars, bottles, spindle whorls, and cups; jars, lids, and cups made of stone; crystal beads; coins; a bronze ladle; iron bracelets; and metal knife blades, handles, swords, cleavers, and knives were recovered from the burials. “These are among the few brick tombs that had not been disturbed before being exposed,” Anh said. The site will be backfilled until a more comprehensive investigation of the site and the surrounding area can be arranged. To read about unusual burials of hunter-gatherers in a cave in Vietnam, go to "Oldest Mummified People," one of ARCHAEOLOGY's Top 10 Discoveries of 2025.