Vietnam & Asia
Oc Eo – Ba The prepares for a World Heritage decision
An ICOMOS expert visited the ancient site in An Giang in August 2026. UNESCO's World Heritage Committee is expected to decide in 2027.
An ancient site in An Giang province, in southern Vietnam, has taken an important step on its way to World Heritage status. From August 17 to 24, 2026, an expert from ICOMOS, the International Council on Monuments and Sites, visited the Oc Eo – Ba The archaeological site to evaluate its nomination. No decision has been made yet, and UNESCO's World Heritage Committee is expected to decide in 2027.
According to a member of the team that prepared the nomination, the Oc Eo culture developed from around the 1st to the 7th century AD. It was closely tied to the Funan kingdom, which he described as one of the earliest states in Southeast Asia. The provincial government says that the site has traces of homes and workshops, including places where people made glass and worked with metal. At its peak, the area became a well-known gateway for trade by sea.
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From August 17 to 24, 2026, an expert from ICOMOS, the International Council on Monuments and Sites, visited the Oc Eo – Ba The archaeological site to evaluate its nomination.