Óc Eo, Archaeological site in Thoai Son, Vietnam
Óc Eo is an archaeological site in Thoại Sơn in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam that preserves remains of an early port settlement. The area contains building foundations, excavation trenches, and traces of ancient waterways that can still be seen in the landscape today.
The site was identified through aerial surveys in the early 1940s and later excavated by French archaeologists. The settlement was active between the first and seventh centuries and served as a trading post for goods from across Asia and beyond.
The site contained evidence of trade connections with distant civilizations through discoveries of Roman Empire coins and Mediterranean jewelry.
The location sits in a rural area and access is by unpaved roads that can be challenging during the rainy season. Many of the artifacts recovered from excavations are now on display at the Museum of Vietnamese History in Ho Chi Minh City.
Excavations uncovered coins from the Roman Empire and jewelry from the Mediterranean, pointing to long-distance trade connections. A network of canals linked the port settlement to other centers and allowed the movement of goods by water far inland.
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