Research: Vietnam Gave Up, Indonesia Invited

04/27/08 01:37
Vietnam invites Indonesia researchers to examine mysterious carved stones


Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Vietnamese researchers invite Indonesian colleagues to conduct a joint research to decipher engraved signs or symbols on hundreds of big stones in Sapa city, Lao Cai province, Vietnam, a Vietnamese researcher said.

"We would like to invite Indonesian researchers to jointly uncover the mystery behind the signs or symbols engraved on more than 200 big stones," Nguyen Van Nguyen, a Vietnamese researcher told ANTARA News here on Saturday.

To date no Vietnamese researcher had been able to unveil the mystery of the carved big stones estimated to have been inscribed hundreds of years ago, Nguyen who was accompanied by his wife Thu Thi Ha said.

He said in 1926 a number of French researchers had already tried to crack the mysterious signs on the big stones.

They then publicized their findings in scientific journals in France but they had not yet unveiled the message behind the signs or symbols on the stones.

Nguyen stated that a serious research funded by Vietnam`s government and also supported by France`s Research Agency (EFEO) was resumed in 2005.

"However, at present only one of the EFEO researchers is still assisting us in conducting the research," Nguyen, an expert on Vietnam`s ancient language, said, adding that more than 50,000 carved stones are to be found in Vietnam, but some 200 of them were not inscribed in the ancient Vietnamese language (Nom).

"Thus, we are challenged to uncover the mystery by inviting Indonesian researchers because we believe they have a lot of experience in research on such matters," he said.

Nguyen also said the first phase of the research project was supported by France`s EFEO and co-chaired by Nguyen Huu Son, director of Culture Bureau office of Lao Cai province and Dr Philippe Lafailler of EFEO. The results of the research would be made public later.


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