Trà Kiệu (Simhapura)
Simhapura Champa Capital · Tra Kieu Champa Citadel
Champa Simhapura 4–10 c. CE → Vietnamese 982 CE conquest·Cham (Austronesian Hindu-Buddhist, Shaiva)·🇻🇳 Quảng Nam Province, Duy Xuyên District, Trà Kiệu village (Thu Bồn River valley, 25 km southwest of Hoi An), Vietnam
About
About Trà Kiệu (Simhapura)
Capital of Champa (Simhapura, Lion City, c.4–10 c. CE) at Trà Kiệu, Quảng Nam — massive 500×350 m (17.5 ha) brick-walled citadel (Chinese qiāng) with 5 gates, citadel-temple complex, and Vũ-điều decorated pedestal of Simhapura Shiva (now Danang Museum) — head of cosmic dance. Excavated 1920s Parmentier & Goloubew, and 2000s Vietnamese–Italian Go Cam project, Trà Kiệu yielded Chinese Tang ceramics, Roman glass beads, and Sanskrit inscription C96 (Simhapura 380 CE Prakashadharma), plus 10th c. Vietnamese siege burn layer (Le Hoan 982 CE capture). Type-site for Thu Bồn Champa culture leading to Mỹ Sơn temples.
Why it mattersOldest Champa capital (Simhapura) — links Cham Sanskrit inscriptions to Mỹ Sơn temples; Chinese–Roman trade gate at Thu Bồn.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Which linga is Prakashadharma's Simhapura founding — My Son A1 or Trà Kiệu?
- 02Was Roman glass via Funan or direct?
Theories
- 01Thu Bồn as Champa maritime capital corridor; Simhapura as austronesian Indianization model
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.4 c. CE (Simhapura foundation); peak 7–10 c.
- Period
- Champa Simhapura 4–10 c. CE → Vietnamese 982 CE conquest
- Culture
- Cham (Austronesian Hindu-Buddhist, Shaiva)
- Builders
- Cham kings of Simhapura (Bhadravarman I onward)
- Purpose
- Champa Thu Bồn valley capital and Shaiva temple city at river port
- Abandoned
- c.982 CE (Vietnamese Le dynasty capture and burn; capital moved south to Vijaya)
- Rediscovered
- 1900s French Ecole Française; Parmentier 1928 temple pedestal
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c.380 CE
Inscription C96: Bhadravarman I founds Simhapura Lion City; Sanskrit Shaiva pedestal
c.7–10 c.
Peak capital with 5-gate brick walls; Vu-dieu dancer pedestal produced
982 CE
Le Hoan Vietnamese army captures Simhapura; burn layer; Cham court flees to Vijaya
On the ground
Structures & features
15.8400° N · 108.1900° E · 20 m · 2 mapped features
Brick citadel enclosure
city wall500×350 m brick walls with 5 gates and barbican
15.8405° N · 108.1905° EVũ-điều pedestal sanctuary
pedestalSandstone pedestal with dancing apsara (now Danang Museum original)
15.8395° N · 108.1895° E