A surprising discovery was made in Lèn Chùa cave, located in Nghĩa Thành commune of Nghĩa Đàn district, Nghệ An province, Vietnam. Local resident Phạm Trịnh Tiến stumbled upon human skeletal remains while exploring the cave, according to Thanh Niên. He initially noticed unusual signs at the cave entrance and decided to investigate. Inside, he found two objects resembling human skulls in separate locations. Finding it strange, he called his sister to come and see, and they confirmed that the objects were indeed human skulls before reporting the discovery to the village police officer.
Authorities promptly arrived at the scene to investigate. Upon entering deeper into the cave, they discovered over ten skulls and numerous broken bone fragments scattered throughout the cave, though the exact number has not yet been counted due to the complex terrain and the cave's depth and darkness, Thanh Niên reported. One skull found was smaller than the others, suspected to be that of a child.
The discovery has left local residents both surprised and concerned. The village chief of Lien Hiep Hamlet, Trần Quang Ngũ, stated that since the 1970s, he often went to the area to graze buffalo and play in the cave but had never seen any remains before. "Two days ago, after discovering this, I came to see and was very surprised to see many remains. These remains are decomposed; they may have died many years ago," he told Thanh Niên.
Speculation has arisen regarding the origin of the skeletal remains. Some locals suspect that the bones may have been brought into the cave by individuals searching for scrap metal. Residents noted that a few days earlier, they saw some people bringing scrap metal detectors to the area but thought they were there to cut grass because the detectors looked like grass-cutting machines, according to Thanh Niên. "The reason the remains are only now being discovered may be because someone dug them up while searching for scrap metal or antiques," the report suggested.
Local authorities have taken immediate action to secure the area and investigate the findings. Nghĩa Thành Commune Police are coordinating with relevant agencies to strictly protect the site where the discoveries were made, as reported by Dân Trí. Lieutenant Colonel Nguy Van Binh stated that the police are working to clarify the case of the dozens of skeletons suspected to be human bones found in Lèn Chùa cave.
There is growing interest in determining the archaeological significance of the site. Hồ Mạnh Hà suggested that the cave's topography and artifacts indicate it was once inhabited by ancient people, but further investigation is needed. "To accurately determine the anthropological characteristics and dating of the skeletal remains and related artifacts, it is necessary to take samples for testing using Carbon-14 radioactive isotope methods and to consult with archaeological experts," he said, according to Thanh Niên.
The Nghệ An Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has been informed of the situation. A representative stated that the department would issue a document assigning the Nghệ An Museum to coordinate with relevant units to conduct a survey, as reported by Thanh Niên. They will request local authorities to organize a protective area and preserve the scene. If confirmed as an archaeological site, authorities will have a plan for excavation to allow for further study.
Meanwhile, the cave's history adds another layer of intrigue to the discovery. Lèn Chùa cave was previously requisitioned by the army for weapon storage during the 1960s. Residents like Trần recalled that the army used the cave to store weapons around 1962–1963 and that before moving out, they cleaned up and destroyed damaged ammunition. After the war, locals began entering the cave to play and take shelter, but many have avoided the area since a corpse, suspected to be that of a drug addict who overdosed, was discovered there in 1991, as reported by Dân Trí.
Some community members remain skeptical about the origin of the remains. The village chief, Ho Sy Duyet, expressed his doubts, stating, "Personally, I and many residents here believe that the bones in question were brought here by someone from elsewhere," according to Dân Trí. He noted that he had often entered the cave to shelter from the rain and had not seen any remains prior to this discovery.
As forensic and specialized agencies conduct examinations to clarify the origin and archaeological value of the case, the community awaits further information. The remains will be sent for forensic analysis to determine their age, as reported by Dân Trí. Authorities have proposed that local officials organize a zoning plan and maintain the current state of the site. Should the site be confirmed as having archaeological significance, plans for excavation may proceed to reach accurate conclusions.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.
