An amazing archaeological discovery in northern Vietnam has uncovered two fully intact wooden boats with an unprecedented double-hulled design. Dug up from underneath a fishpond near the historic citadel of Luy Lâu, the vessel is to date the only confirmed discovery worldwide of twin-hulled wooden ships from the past.
A Local Discovery Sets Off A Frenzy Of Digging
In December 2024 in Bac Ninh province, local villager Nguyen Van Chien’s eye was caught by the buried edges of what looked like simple canoes. He didn’t waste time letting people know what he’d seen. Immediate excavations proved the remains to be far more incredible than anyone could’ve foreseen: two parallel hulls, 50 ft and 46 ft long, perfectly spaced six feet apart and solidly joined at their bows.
World’s Only Ancient Wooden Twin-Hulled Boats Unearthed in Vietnam WONDER WORLD, YouTube
Twin Hulls: Maritime Miracle Of The Ancient World
Each monoxyl hull was dug out from a single tree trunk and fortified with plank walls. The entire vessel was joined together with mortise-and-tenon joints and wooden pegs. No metal was involved. The double-hulled design concept, rigidly bridged, allowed this old vessel to carry heavy loads while sitting remarkably stable in the water. It’s a design seen nowhere else on Earth in that time period.
Watertight Compartments Held A Trove Of Clues
Inside both hulls were six watertight compartments up to five feet deep. Archaeologists removed the centuries-old accumulation of sediments. During this tedious process, they extracted old seeds, partially-eaten fruit, and other incredible artifacts. Archaeologists are determined to use these organic materials to trace the vessel’s trade goods and economic ties as it plied the ancient waters of Southeast Asia.
A Location On Thriving Trade Routes
Buried about half a mile from ancient Luy Lâu, a buzzing beehive of international trade from around the 1st–3rd centuries AD, this boat indicates active river-based exchange along the Dau River and its connected rivers. The ships were undoubtedly ferrying trade goods along vital northern Vietnamese waterways.
World’s Only Ancient Wooden Twin-Hulled Boats Unearthed in Vietnam WONDER WORLD, YouTube
Dating and Craftsmanship
The boat is still undergoing radiocarbon testing, but the early results suggest a Ly–Tran dynasty origin (11th–14th AD), though stylistic clues suggest much older Han dynasty Chinese influence (111 BC–203 AD). The sophisticated bow-tied joinery and wooden beam connecting the hulls proves the capabilities of medieval Vietnamese shipbuilders.
A Marvel Of Ancient Maritime Engineering
This find displays remarkable engineering prowess: watertight internal bulkheads, monoxyl hulls, and a double-hull framework. Archaeologists’ glowing descriptions underscore the monoxyl bottoms, plank reinforcements, and a T-shaped bow linkage. Design upgrades like these are strong indicators of the progressive improvement in boatbuilding techniques and traditions.
Conservation Efforts: The Past Collides With The Present
To stop the hull from crumbling away to nothing, archaeologists preserved the waterlogged site in situ (right where it sits). Excited archaeologists have already formulated detailed plans, and swung into action. They've covered it over with sand and tarps, built protective structures, and are mulling a possible lift-out for detailed future conservation work. All these measures are to protect the fragile wood from rapid decay when it's exposed to air.
Updating Maritime History
This stunning discovery adds a colorful chapter to Southeast Asian maritime history. It’s an incredible illustration of the scale and sophistication of domestic shipbuilding, solidifying Vietnam’s historical role in inland and coastal trade networks. It also raises questions of the nature and extent of Chinese and other Southeast Asian cultural and trade influences.
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