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Đặng Hồng Sơn

  • Associate Professor, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam

  • Chair, Department of History; Director, Anthropology Museum; Head of Archaeology Program, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam

  • Deputy General Secretary, Vietnam Archaeological Association
     

Research Interests

  • Vietnamese Archaeology

  • Historical Archaeology of Vietnam

  • Ancient Vietnamese Architecture and Architectural Sculpture

  • Underwater Archaeology of Vietnam

  • Chinese Archaeology

  • Heritage and Management of Vietnam’s Tangible Cultural Heritage

  • Vietnamese Hán-Nôm Heritage

Champa Island: A Key Transit Hub on the Maritime Silk Road in Central Vietnam (9th–10th Century)

Champa Island is located off the coast of the ancient town of Hội An in Quảng Nam Province, Central Vietnam. The Bãi Làng archaeological site on the island was discovered in 1993 and underwent two excavations between 1998 and 1999, followed by another two excavations from 2017 to 2018.

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Excavations at the site have uncovered a variety of artifacts, including pottery, bowls, cups, bottles, and beads, all found within cultural layers, indicating that Bãi Làng was once inhabited by the Cham people. Additionally, objects characteristic of Southeast Asian maritime trade were discovered, such as ceramics from Changsha, Yuezhou, and Guangdong in China, as well as ceramics, beads, and glassware originating from West Asia. These findings suggest that Bãi Làng was an important port along the trade routes connecting China, Southeast Asia, and West Asia.

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Based on the excavated Cham pottery, Tang dynasty glazed ceramics, Islamic ceramics, and especially Indo-Pacific and West Asian glass beads, Vietnamese archaeologists and researchers have dated the Bãi Làng site to the 9th–10th centuries.

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This study presents an overview of the excavation findings at Bãi Làng and, through a comparative analysis of additional historical sources, highlights the significance of the Cham Island site as a key transit hub on the Maritime Silk Road during the 9th–10th centuries.

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