These are the first prehistoric archaeological findings in volcanic caves in Vietnam, which will be studied in more detail by Vietnam National Museum of Nature, VAST, and other authorized agencies to highlight a new type of settlement, a new adaptive trend of prehistoric dwellers in the Central Highlands and to open a new archaeological study in the volcanic caves in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. | Vietnam Journal of Earth Sciences, 39(2), 97-108, DOI: Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology Vietnam Journal of Earth Sciences (VAST) New discovery of prehistoric archaeological remnants in volcanic caves in KrongNo, Dak Nong Province La The Phuc1*, Nguyen Khac Su2, Vu Tien Duc3, Luong Thi Tuat1, Phan Thanh Toan2, Nguyen Thanh Tung4, Nguyen Trung Minh1 1 Vietnam National Museum of Nature, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology 2 Institute of Archaeology, Vietnam Academy of Social Science 3 Institute of Social Sciences of Central Highlands, Vietnam Academy of Social Science 4 Phu Gia Phat Company Received 24 January 2017. Accepted 21 February 2017 ABSTRACT The Krongno Volcanic Geopark in Dak Nong province with a unique and largest volcanic cave system in SE Asia discovered in 2007 occupies an area about 2,000 km2 in the Krong No, Cu Jut and Dak Mil districts and several neighboring communes in the Dak Song and Dak Glong districts. In 2016, Vietnamese archaeologists discovered a number of archaeological sites in hilly, farmland and riverine areas in the Krong-No Volcanic Geopark; however, none had been found in the volcanic caves. During the late December 2016 - early January 2017 field trip, a survey team led by Vietnam National Museum of Nature, VAST, discovered a series of archaeological sites and relics with a relatively high density in volcanic caves in the Krongno Volcanic Geopark. The discovered archaeological remnants include (1) stone materials and tools such as dish-shaped tools, short axes, blade-ground short axes, oval axes and blade-ground oval axes; flake tools, stone flakes, stone slabs; anvils, graters, pestles, etc., hand-fitting sharp quartzite stones and pieces of loess; (2) pottery, containing various ceramic tools with different thicknesses, mostly fired at low temperature, crumbly, made of fine sandy loam, hand-kneaded, simple forms, mainly pots and containers .
