(VOVworld)- Vietnam is one of a few countries that are included in a map on the appearance and evolution of humans. Archaeologists revealed this at a press conference in Hanoi on Monday on the initial results of a study of  a Stone Age archaeological system in the upstream area of the Ba river in Gia Lai province.

Stone samples found at the archeological site are on display (Photo: VNA)

Between 2014 and 2016, Russia’s Novosibirsk Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology discovered 5 relic sites from the Palaeolithic era in An Khe township in Gia Lai. These findings show that the upstream area of the Ba river was inhabited by an ancient community 800,000 years ago, the oldest date when humans first appeared in Vietnam. Doctor Nguyen Gia Doi, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Institute of Archaeology, says: “In An Khe, there are many traces of the Palaeolithic era. We will work with our Russian partners to implement a project to excavate the site in the next 2 or 3 years. It’s more likely that An Khe will become a center for the research of human history, culture and evolution.”

Archaeologists say the initial findings are valuable additions to the compilation of the national history book, and propose to develop An Khe as a special national relic site.