From the outset, the history of My Son archaeological area in Viet Nam has been marked by tragic events, mainly as result of military action. The last of these occurred in August 1969, when a United States B52 bomber radically changed the appearance of what had been, ever since the fourth century AD, the 'Holy Land' of Cham culture. Though unknown until the nineteenth century, Cham culture had played a significant political, economic and artistic role in the formation of the so-called 'Indianized' states.

Above: Overall view of the various architectural groups at My Son. Below right: Scuptures from Group B temple. Below left: Location of My Son Sanctuary.

A group of French soldiers surveying the My Son area in 1885 discovered about seventy monuments standing hidden in the forest, surrounded by a circle of low mountains watered by a network of rivers and streams. The discovery of My Son was the founding moment of a new tradition of intensive studies including epigraphic, archaeological and artistic research, mainly carried out by scholars of the École Française d'Extrême Orient. But, after an initial phase of enthusiastic interest, studies of the Champa kingdom (as the land of the Cham is called) were gradually abandoned and no systematic research was carried out after the 1930s.

The successive political situations in Viet Nam between the First and Second World Wars contributed to the neglect of Champa history and remains. The archaeological heritage was dispersed and looted, the monuments were left in a state of neglect. Scientific interest turned to the impressive remains in Cambodia , where the state of conservations of monuments, the number epigraphic texts and the huge production sculptures, pottery and bronzes were naturally attractive to historians. Cham art and history remained confined to a restricted circle of specialists, and was practically ignored by the general public. The 1999 inscription of My Son Sanctuary on the World Heritage List not only acknowledged the unique quality of the site, it prompted a renewal of scientific interest among national and international specialists.

Champa culture may best be understood in terms of the geopolitical situation in the Indochina Peninsula towards the second century AD. Intensification of commercial contracts with Indian traders, along with population growth and the need to establish a more complex system of administration, led to the emergence of a number of kingdoms scattered throughout the peninsula and deeply influenced by the Indian social and religious model, whether Buddhist or Hindu. Buddhism shaped the kingdom of Pyu (today central Myanmar ) as well as the Dvaravati kingdom of central Thailand .

Image of Shiva in the Courtyard of the Steles

The Mekong delta and central Cambodia were the territory of the Hindu kingdom of Funan , whereas north Cambodia and southern Laos were subdivided into a number of chiefdoms of Mon-Khmer kings, founders of the Khmer Empire. Northern Viet Nam was occupied by a Chinese commandery controlling the Gulf of Tonkin from the Gate of Annam (Hoanh Son) to the present-day city of Hué (also a World Heritage site). The shore of central Viet Nam was settled by a large variety of ethnic groups, some of the Austroneisan descent, among them the Cham. The peculiar configuration of this territory, from the Pass of Clouds southwards, probably determined for a long period the coexistence of different groups that had adapted to different types of ecosystem.

The coast offered many landings, lagoons and natural ports, often with easy access to the plains that facilitated exchanges and trade. The western side, on the other hand, was characterized by a long chain of mountains with steep passes, covered by a thick mantle of forest. Living in this difficult context, the 'hill' groups managed and exchanged natural products of the forest (resin, hardwood, lacquerware) and wild animals with the peoples of the plain.

According to the Chinese annals of the late second century, the preponderant native population living on the coast of central Viet Nam were the Lin Yi, who merged with another autochthonous group, the Champa, between the third and sixth centuries. The modality and process of this unification is unknown. Archaeological and epigraphic evidence indicates that around the fourth century the Cham had already developed a complex social structure. They were living in an urban context, ruled by a court, using Sanskrit and had adopted Hinduism as their official religion.

Above: Group E at My Son, still overrun by vegetation. Below: Overall view of the archaeological area, which has been receiving an ever-increasing number of tourist visits since it was listed as a World Heritage site.

From the seventh century onwards, evidence concerning the Champa kingdom is more substantial. The whole territory was divided into five provinces, from the Gate of Annam in the north to the Donnai River basin in the south. Forming a confederation of kingdoms, adopting roughly the same social and religious model, the Cham had not only to deal with fairly continuous dynastic conflicts but also with the Khmer attacks and, first of all, with the emergence of Dai Viet power in the north, which led to the decline of the kingdom in 1471. From then until 1832, their history is marked by wars lost in defense of their identity, leading to their ultimate disappearance.

My Son, a holy land

Located in the former kingdom of Amaravati (Quang Nam Province), My Son lies 68km south of Danang and 40km from Hoi An, the ancient trading ort of Faifo, also inscribe on the World Heritage List in 1999. The Cham, who were formidable sailors and pirates, used this port from which a river gave them access to the capital Simhapura ('City of the Lion'), now the modern city of Tra kieu, and thence to My Son, by both land and water.

The site's distinctive location, a small valley surrounded by a ring of mountains (My Son means ' Beautiful Mountain ' in Vietnamese), was compatible with Hindu cosmology whose sacred mountain, Meru or Mandara, was the celestial abode of the deities. The highest mountain of My Son is the Rang Meo or Cat's Teeth Mountain (750 m), said to be the residence of the god Shiva, the main deity worshipped by the Cham.

From the end of the fourth century AD, the valley was only used for religious purposes and became a 'memorial' to the noble achievement of the royal dynasty. The earliest temples, built from wood, have not survived. Brick masonry, introduced towards the end of the seventh century, continued to be used until the end of Cham civilization. It allowed builders to create hazardous and elegant forms of architecture, using sophisticated techniques. The temples all followed a similar model: a square ground plan, with three levels: a platform below, the shrine proper and a high, stepped roof. The external surface was often plastered to afford the building better protection, painted and decorated with brick carvings. The stone was also used for decorative purposes (typana, antefixes or flame ornaments, lintels, door jambs, columns and pilasters). Cham builders used an organic mortar with a mixture of natural resins to bind the bricks. Thanks to this technique, the masonry was 'waterproofed', preventing the infiltration of water and humidity that would in time lead to the degradation of the structure.

The basic layout of a tower-temple, which also mirrors Hindu cosmology, centres around the main tower (kalan), symbolizing the scared mountain (Meru) at the centre of the universe. The square or rectangular base (bhurloka), representing the human world, is built from brick or stone blocks and decorated with reliefs. Above this rises the main tower (bhuvakola), constructed entirely from brick, with applied columns and a blind portico facing east, also lavishly ornamented.

The interiors are plain, with small niches for lamps. The Shivalingam , symbolizing the divine force was situated on a plinth in the centre. A decorated frieze connected the tower with its roof (suarloka). Each tower had three storeys forming a stepped pyramid which represented Kailasa, the abode of Shiva. It is known that many of the roofs were originally covered with gold or silver leaf.

In front of the kalan stood a smaller gate-tower (gopura), built from brick with stone pillars. Most of the temple complexes had long buildings (mandapa) with tiled roofs adjacent to the gate-towers, used for religious ceremonies. In many cases there were smaller two-roomed temples (kasagraha) around the kalan for the worship of less deities. Each complex was surrounded by a thick wall of brick, but these have almost entirely disappeared over the centuries since My Son ceased to be a sacred centre. Only the Brahmin was allowed to enter the cella or inner sanctuary and minister to the god with food, music and other offerings. Pilgrims could pray outside, leaving their gifts with the religious authorities. The sanctuary was conceived as the point of communication between two worlds, the divine and the human.

Buildings from Groups E and F.

More than thirty inscriptions have been found at My Son, both in Sanskrit and the vernacular, dating from the end of the fourth to the twelfth centuries. Steles erected outside or near the temples have provided a prime source of information on the country's name (Champa Nagara) and the gods worshipped, as well as the order of the dynastic succession, economic and social life, and wars and victories. The site includes eight main groups of monuments (designated by the letters A to H) built within the walls, along with four other isolated structures.

Some seventy monuments classified during the early 1920s show the evolutions of the style in both architecture and decoration. Khmer and Javanese influences are apparent, and the ability of the Cham to integrate innovations has produced an original and lively art, particularly apparent in the sculptural works.

From the mid-1950s to the present, the history of the site has been closely linked to the events that led to Vietnamese independence. Neglect has left its mark; wars and bombings have radically altered the entire area, and only nineteen temples still retain their original form. All of them have suffered from some amount of invasive restoration. Bombing in the Second World War, but above all the actions of the United States army after the 1968 Tet (New Year) offensive, led to the almost total destruction of the monumental complex.

The impressive kalan A 1, over 24 m high and decorated with precious statues and reliefs, was reduced to a mass of rubble, as were tower A 10 and numerous other monuments in groups B, E and F. The bombing gouged out large craters over the entire area and in the early 1970s the United States ' air force sprayed the zone with defoliant, completely changing the characteristics and nature of the environment.

After several Viet Cong groups began operations in the area, the entrance and exit of the valley were mined. Remains of the tunnels and trenches of the Viet Cong defensive work are still visible in many places. Statues and steles bearing important inscriptions and architectonic remains are scattered inside the groups of monuments and bear clearly visible marks of damage from firearms. The particularities of the site and the monsoon environment have led to frequent devastating floods causing serious damage to the monuments. Although the Vietnamese Government was faced with enormous problems after the war, having to reunite the country and ensure its economic reconstruction, it promulgated a decree in 1979 providing for the protection of the archaeological area of My Son and gave priority to drawing up a plan to recover and safeguard the site. In 1981, with the help and technical assistance of the Polish Government, the first action was taken to clear the area of mines and restore the main monuments, damaged by years of war and neglect. Historical changes and economic difficulties in the late 19809s put an end to this collaboration, leaving the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture and Information with a wide range of problems to solve and a lack of financial resources.

Preserving the site

Above/Below: Several temples that have been restored

UNESCO, the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture and Information and the Lerici Foundation (Polytechnic University of Milan, Italy) signed a tripartite agreement in 1997 with a view to resuming multidisciplinary research at My Son. The project, backed by the Italian Government with two sources of finance, one for scientific research and the other as 'funds in trust' at UNESCO, was conceived to re-explore the entire archaeological area by survey and non-invasive methods; study the state of degration of the monuments; examine the hydrogeological conditions of the zone relation to the monumental areas; help the central and local staff to draw up a Master Plan; evaluate the state of conservation of all existing monuments; catalogue the sculptural remains scattered throughout the area; set up an on-site geographic information system (GIS) and enter all the site data; and ensure the consolidation and conservation of buildings threatened with imminent collapse.

From 1998 to 2001, the project was devoted mainly to leveling and mapping the whole area with the retest possible accuracy, as existing archaeological cartography dated back about a hundred years. Precise mapping is essential to understanding the characteristics of the site and the human and natural modifications that have occurred over time. The map also indicated areas that are still mined.

Archaeological surveys were also undertaken in areas at some distance from the monuments to understand the land use of the valley. Potsherds and clear traces of dwellings, probably contemporary with the monumental phases, were found in the northern sector of My Son. These areas are thought to have been used by the religious community in charge of the temples. Preliminary studies indicated two main priorities: the day to day maintenance of the monuments and the archaeological area and the consolidation of the structures, emphasizing the need for a conservation and management Master Plan which has since been developed. Regular maintenance includes vegetation control, minor repairs to historic masonry, the upkeep of boundaries and of visitor and staff facilities. The consolidation of the structures presents a more complex problem. Even though restoration work carried out since 1981 as part of the Vietnamese-Polish collaboration project was decisive, many buildings today display serious new cracks and some are in danger of collapse. An inventory of all the portable antiquities now scattered over the area has been completed and a plan for material conservation is anticipated.

Above: The Group D temples have already been restored.

The inscription of My Son on the World Heritage List in 1999 marked a very special recognition both of the historical importance of the site and of the earnest efforts made by the Vietnamese Government to safeguard the nation's heritage. It immediately prompted signs of interest from other countries. The Japanese Government has initiated the construction of a site museum in which sculptures and fragile materials will be kept, to begin in 2004. The road to the site has been completed, as have the reception area for tourists and a Post Office with computer facilities. The parking area for tourist buses has been improved, after being moved to a reasonable distance from the archaeological site in order to preserve the landscape. The site has been cleared of vegetation and various convenient paths have been opened between the archaeological remains for the many international and national visitors.

There are many tourist perhaps too many at times for this fragile site. And while tourism offers great benefits, problems of security, vandalism and inappropriate behaviors appear to be on the rise, suggesting that, in addition to careful tourism development at the site, measures must also be taken to educate visitors.

The Lerici-UNESCO team's work on the conservation and restoration of the monuments of Group G is due to start and will continue until 2005, with a view to safeguarding the authenticity of the structure within the framework of the site Master Plan. Vietnamese architects and archaeologist will work together with a team of international specialists, learning how to carry out restoration on their own in the future.

Author: Patrizia Zolese
UNESCO Consultant for Culture
My Son Project Chief Technical Advisor

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