The provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism convened a sectoral council on September 23 to appraise the two dossiers, focusing on their scientific and legal foundations and the heritage value of the sites and artifacts.
The first dossier seeks recognition of Trường Lũy Gia Lai as a national relic, covering sections of the historic rampart in North Hoài Nhơn Ward, An Lão Commune and An Hòa Commune.
Research and archaeological excavations at several locations indicate that Trường Lũy was a mountain defense structure dating to the era of the Nguyễn Lords, with its most extensive construction taking place during the Nguyễn Dynasty.
The rampart was built primarily to prevent attacks by the Man people and to protect the main thoroughfare, known as the upper road, as well as communities in both lowland and mountainous areas.
It is also known by names including Tĩnh Man Trường Lũy, Lũy Trấn Man and Lũy Bình Man.
The wider Trường Lũy system extends about 127.4 kilometers from Quảng Ngãi Province to Gia Lai Province. The section in Gia Lai is more than 14.4 kilometers long and includes 19 forts, spaced between 500 and 1,000 meters apart.
The second dossier proposes national treasure recognition for two lion statues from the Mẫm Tower ruins in An Nhơn Bắc Ward and a collection of five Naga serpent reliefs from Dương Long Tower in Bình An Commune. The artifacts are currently preserved and displayed at the Gia Lai Provincial Museum.
The artifacts were examined at a September 15 seminar jointly organized by the Provincial Museum and the Southern Institute of Social Sciences. Experts concluded that the two groups have outstanding historical, cultural, artistic and archaeological value.
The artifacts also contribute to identifying distinctive characteristics of Vijaya-era Champa art, particularly the Bình Định style, also known as the Mẫm Tower style.
The council provided recommendations to improve both dossiers before they proceed through the next stages required under regulations.
The appraisal is intended to ensure that the submissions are scientifically and legally sound before being presented to the competent authorities for consideration and recognition, while supporting the protection and promotion of Gia Lai's heritage values.