During an excavation at the Po Dam tower cluster in Phu Lac Commune, Tuy Phong District, Binh Thuan Province in 2013, while digging through the different soil layers at the Po Dam tower cluster, a worker unexpectedly discovered a strange golden object at a depth of 50cm beneath the soil surface. Archaeologists arrived at the site, carefully studied and authenticated the artifact.
Scientists determined that it is a Linga dating back to the 8th century, corresponding to the period when the Po Dam tower was built. The golden Linga measures 6.6 cm in height, with a body diameter ranging from 5.35 to 5.49 cm and a ring diameter from 5.8 to 6.0 cm. It weighs 78.36 grams, with a gold content of 90.4 percent.
The Linga is an important object of worship in the architectural relics of the Champa culture in Central Vietnam and other ancient cultures in Southeast Asia. The Linga realistically represents male genital organs, symbolizing the source of life and fertility. In Brahmanism, the Linga is a cylindrical symbol representative of the god Shiva, the deity of destruction and rebirth.
According to Binh Thuan Provincial Museum, the golden Linga found at the Po Dam tower cluster is larger and heavier than other golden Lingas previously discovered. The Linga was cast from a mold, not bending or embossing like gold relics discovered in the Oc Eo-Ba The archaeological site in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang, or at the Cat Tien archaeological site in Cat Tien district, the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong.
Notably, the Linga, with both the inner and outer surfaces smooth and polished and thin borders running along the base, shows that the Champa artisans of the past had reached a high level of skill.
According to researchers, this discovery has opened a new chapter in the study of Champa culture. The golden Linga is not only vivid evidence of the wealth and development of the Champa Kingdom but also a symbol of Champa's beliefs and arts.
In January 2024, the golden Linga was officially recognized as a national treasure. In October 2024, during the Kate festival, the largest of the Cham ethnic people in the central province of Binh Thuan, the golden Linga was publicly presented for the first time, attracting a large number of people.
Mrs. Nguyen Thi Them, a Cham royal descendant residing in Tinh My Village, Phan Thanh Commune of Bac Binh District, about 50 kilometers from the Po Dam Tower cluster, keeps a unique collection of the Champa dynasty, including the King Po Klong Moh Nai’s golden crown.
According to the Cham historical records, King Po Klong Moh Nai ascended the throne in the early 17th century and ruled until 1627, being one of the last kings of the Champa Kingdom. When the king died, the temple and the collection of artifacts of the Champa dynasty were entrusted to Mrs. Nguyen Thi Them, a descendant of the royal family, who was authorized to inherit and preserve them. Mrs. Nguyen Thi Them adopted Nguyen Thi Dao. When Mrs. Them passed away in 1997, Mrs. Dao inherited the "royal treasure" in accordance with the matrilineal regulations of the Cham people.
