A Preliminary Comparative Study of 10th-Century Ceramics from Hoa Lư and Đại La (Vietnam)

LÊ Ngọc Hân1*, Gyles Iannone2, Joao Paulo Barbieri Dos Santos2, Chantel Yan2, NGUYỄN Thị Hảo1, Scott Macrae3, and VÕ Thị Phương Thúy4

The 10th-century marks a milestone in Vietnamese history with the formation of the independent nation of Đại Cồ Việt following over a millennium of Chinese domination. In this context, Hoa Lư, the newly established capital, and Đại La, a long-standing political center and predecessor of Thăng Long, represent two urban models shaped by different historical backgrounds and developmental trajectories. This study examines 10th-century ceramics from Bà Ngô (suburban periphery of Hoa Lư), a significant archaeological site providing data from undisturbed cultural contexts dating to the Đinh - Early Lê period. The ceramic assemblage is dominated by locally produced wares used for everyday activities such as storage and cooking, alongside a significant proportion of imported Chinese white glazed and green glazed wares from the 9th-10th centuries. On this basis, the paper offers a preliminary comparison between the Hoa Lư ceramics and data from the Đại La Citadel in order to explore possible similarities and differences in typological composition, function, and provenance. Given the current evidence, these observations remain preliminary but highlight the value of ceramics as a source for studying urban settlement pattern and exchange networks during the early formation period in Vietnam. The findings contribute to our understanding of social life in 10th-century urban centers and help clarify the role of Đại Cồ Việt in contemporary regional networks.