The event brought together Associate Professor Dr. Bùi Văn Liêm, a member of the National Cultural Heritage Council and Standing Vice Chairman and General Secretary of the Vietnam Archaeological Association; Associate Professor Dr. Bùi Chí Hoàng, also a member of the National Cultural Heritage Council; Dr. Nguyễn Khánh Trung Kiên, Deputy Director of the Southern Institute of Social Sciences; and researchers and specialists from the Gia Lai Provincial Museum.
The artifacts under review are currently preserved and displayed at the Gia Lai Provincial Museum.
They comprise two stone lion statues from Tháp Mẫm in North An Nhơn Ward and a collection of Naga serpent reliefs from Dương Long Tower in Bình An Commune.
Experts said the artifacts are closely associated with the development of Champa art in the Vijaya region between the 11th and 15th centuries, when the political and religious center of the Champa Kingdom shifted to the area.
The period gave rise to a distinctive artistic tradition later identified by researchers as the Bình Định style, also known as the Tháp Mẫm style. Tháp Mẫm and Dương Long are located within a cultural landscape closely connected with the Vijaya citadel and the Thị Nại port.
The Tháp Mẫm lion statues are notable examples of sculpture in the round. The large stone figures combine Khmer artistic influences with creative adaptations by Champa artisans.
The lions were used as architectural supports at the corners of tower bases, with their front legs raised as if bearing the weight of the structures. Some statues contain distinctive details that reflect the beliefs and symbolic concepts of the Champa people.
At Dương Long Tower, the Naga serpent motif appears in various forms, most notably the five-headed Naga.
Although influenced by Khmer art, the motifs were adapted through distinctive designs, patterns and architectural placement.
The prevalence of serpent imagery among artifacts from the site further highlights the importance of the Naga in Dương Long's decorative art. Of the thousands of carved stone fragments discovered there, about 70% to 80% feature serpent imagery, according to presentations at the conference.
Researchers also emphasized that Vijaya-period sculpture was not simply an imitation of outside artistic traditions.
Champa artisans absorbed influences from Khmer and Đại Việt art and transformed them through their own artistic language and aesthetic sensibilities, creating a distinctive identity later recognized as the Bình Định style.
Archaeological excavations at Dương Long between 2006 and 2008 and at Tháp Mẫm in 2011 provided additional scientific evidence on the artifacts' stratigraphic context and architectural placement.
The findings are expected to strengthen the scientific basis for evaluating the artifacts as part of Champa cultural heritage.
The conference also served as a forum for experts and researchers to exchange views and strengthen the scientific foundation for a dossier that Gia Lai Province plans to submit to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, seeking the Prime Minister's recognition of the two Tháp Mẫm lion statues and the Dương Long Naga relief collection as national treasures.
The initiative aims not only to preserve the artifacts but also to place them within a broader and unified historical and cultural context, helping promote their sustainable value and contribute to local socio-economic development.