According to the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Dak Son lithophone was unearthed by chance in 2014, when local residents discovered it while digging holes to plant pepper at a depth of 50–90 cm in Dak Sak Commune, Lam Dong Province (formerly Nam Xuan Commune, Krong No District, Dak Nong Province).
The set comprises 16 stone slabs, including 11 intact pieces and five broken into two or three parts. Despite the damage, the pieces can be reassembled to their original form and remain sufficient for studies on lithophone craftsmanship. The slabs measure on average 57.6 cm in length, 12.4 cm in width, and 3 cm in thickness, weighing about 3.94 kilograms each. Their sound frequency range is exceptionally broad, from as low as 191.9 Hz to as high as 4,500 Hz.
At the same ceremony, Lam Dong authorities also announced the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s decision to classify the C3-C4 Cave cluster—part of the Krong No volcanic cave system (formerly Dak Nong Province)—as a National Scenic Site. This system is the longest volcanic cave network in Southeast Asia, featuring unique geological formations of high scientific value, created by eruptions of the Chu Bluk volcano some 600,000–200,000 years ago.
In addition, the Tam Blang M’prang Bon Festival of the Mnong ethnic community was officially inscribed on the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
