VIETNAMESE CAVE OCCUPIED FROM 18,000 BCE TO 7,000 BCE --OLDEST CONTINUOSLY OCCUPIED CAVE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

Recent excavations in the Vietnamese central province of Thanh Hoa have revealed evidence of occupation of a particular cave, known as Con Moong, over a continuous period from 18,000 BCE to 7,000 BCE, and it is believed to be the longest continuously occupied cave in the whole of Southeast Asia.

The cave is located on a cliff and penetrates over 40 metres into the heart of a mountain. The sediment lining the cave has been excavated to a depth of 3.6 metres and has revealed artefacts from Old Stone Age through to the Neolithic period. These artefacts include skeletons from the Old Stone Age and a well preserved tomb.

The discovery is of such importance that the Director of the Thanh Hoa Department of Culture, Sports & Tourism, Nguyen Van Tuan, has requested the Vietnamese Government to name it a special national relic and he is also seeking UNESCO World Heritage status.

Edited from VietnamNet (3 January 2013)
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