Dang Dong Ha, deputy director of the Quang Tri Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, confirmed on April 25 that the artefacts were found during a recent cave survey conducted by a British expedition team led by renowned cave expert Dr. Howard Limbert.

The discovery was later documented by the expedition team and shared with local authorities. The artefacts were subsequently handed over to the Quang Tri Museum and the Hanoi Museum for research, preservation and display.

Initial assessments suggest the stone axes date back around 6,000–8,000 years to the Neolithic period and are associated with the Bau Tro Culture, a late Neolithic archaeological culture in central Vietnam dating back around 5,000–8,000 years, known through stone tools and pottery unearthed in Quảng Bình province. 

Made from siliceous stone, the tools include sloping-shoulder and broad-shouldered axe types, showing signs of prolonged use by early inhabitants.

Experts said the findings provide further evidence of early human activity inside the cave systems of Phong Nha–Ke Bang, a UNESCO-recognised World Heritage site known for its extensive karst formations and archaeological significance.

The discovery adds to a growing body of artefacts found in the region, including Bronze Age items linked to the Dong Son Culture and later Cham civilisation relics, highlighting long-term human presence and cultural development in central Vietnam.

New cave with rare waterfall discovered in Phong Nha–Ke Bang National Park

VOV.VN - A newly discovered cave featuring a rare internal waterfall has been found in Phong Nha–Ke Bang National Park, highlighting the area’s vast and still largely unexplored karst landscape.