Formation and Development of Nhơn Thành: An Óc Eo Settlement and Craft Production Center in the Lower Mekong Delta, Vietnam

NGUYỄN Hoàng Bách Linh1*, YAMAGATA Mariko2, and ADACHI Takuro2

1Southern Institute of Social Sciences, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, Vietnam; 2Kanazawa University, Japan; *miclinhnguyen.ag@gmail.com

Nhơn Thành has long been recognized as an important settlement of the Óc Eo cultural tradition in the Lower Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Recent investigations, including the 2023 excavation and interdisciplinary analyses, provide new insights into the formation, development, and functions of the site within regional economic and cultural networks. Archaeological evidence indicates that Nhơn Thành developed through three main phases, spanning from the centuries BC to the mid-seventh century AD, with a period of stability and prosperity between the late third and the mid-sixth centuries AD. Residential cultural layers reveal a settlement pattern combining stilt-house structures and earthen platforms distributed across a large habitation area with uneven spatial density. The archaeological record suggests that Nhơn Thành functioned both as a substantial deltaic settlement and as a centre of specialized craft production. Covering approximately 56 hectares, the site preserves well-stratified cultural deposits and a rich assemblage reflecting the material and spiritual life of its inhabitants. At the same time, numerous stone moulds and associated artifacts indicate intensive production of metal jewellery, primarily using lead–tin alloys, and document nearly the entire production sequence from metallurgical preparation and casting to finishing. These findings highlight Nhơn Thành as a stable settlement with specialized craft activities and as an important node in the exchange networks of the Óc Eo cultural sphere.