Archaeologists have recovered more than 5,000 seed and fruit fragments from two ancient wooden boats discovered in northern Vietnam. The findings could provide new evidence of how people transported food and other goods nearly 2,000 years ago.
Researchers identified at least 20 plant groups, including fruits, nuts and forest plants. Some fruits were exceptionally well preserved, with their stalks still attached.
The discovery is particularly significant because some plants are associated with forests and higher elevations, while the boats were found in the lowlands of Bac Ninh Province. Researchers believe the remains may point to exchanges between mountain communities and riverside settlements.
Ancient boats discovered beneath fish pond
Workers discovered the Ha Man boats during fish pond renovations in late 2024. Archaeologists began emergency excavations in March 2025, uncovering two connected wooden hulls measuring about 16 meters (52 feet) long.
Ancient builders joined the wooden planks using interlocking joints, wedges, and wooden pegs rather than metal nails. Similar wooden joining techniques have been documented in ancient shipbuilding discoveries in Egypt.
More than 5,000 ancient seed and fruit fragments have been discovered inside 2,000-year-old wooden boats in Vietnam.
Some fruits still have their stalks attached, raising new questions about ancient trade routes and what the vessels once carried. pic.twitter.com/rJbKxNUTs8
— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) October 23, 2026
Initial estimates placed the structures between the 11th and 14th centuries. However, radiocarbon testing of wood samples suggested they dated to around the second century A.D., during the late Dong Son period.
Thousands of preserved plant remains identified
A team including archaeologist Nguyen Thi Mai Huong of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences examined soil collected from the structures. Researchers recorded 5,084 unidentified seed and fruit fragments alongside hundreds of other specimens. The collection included 171 apricot and plum specimens, 129 Dracontomelon specimens, 53 chinaberry specimens, and 30 jujube specimens. Researchers also identified chestnut, Canarium, gac, and mango remains.
Waterlogged mud and low-oxygen conditions helped preserve the fragile material. Some remains also survived through charring. The plant fragments were unevenly distributed. One compartment contained more than 1,700 fragments, suggesting certain areas may have been used for storage or transporting goods.
Findings raise questions about ancient river trade
Researchers believe some forest plants may have reached the lowlands through ancient river networks. Other archaeological discoveries have shown how preserved cargo can reveal ancient trade patterns.
A shipwreck discovered off the Greek island of Andros contained hundreds of transport jars, providing evidence of commercial activity in the classical Mediterranean. However, the Vietnamese structures’ original purpose remains uncertain. Some specialists believe they formed a double-hulled vessel, while others suggest a stationary floating platform. The plants could therefore represent transported cargo, food remains, or material deposited naturally.
Similar questions about cargo and daily life have emerged from new archaeological discoveries at the Antikythera shipwreck. Further testing will help establish whether the seeds and fruits date to the same period as the wooden structures. Their age remains unconfirmed, despite radiocarbon results suggesting the wood is nearly 2,000 years old.
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