Archaeologists have excavated a bronze axe at Cat Tien archaeological site in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong.

Scientists are studying whether the bronze axe, the first ever found in Cat Tien, was a production tool or an item used in ancient rituals.

A number of bronze casting moulds were found at the site in 1998, some of which were thought to have been used to make axes.

The Cat Tien archaeological site was located on the network of East-West trade exchange that developed rapidly during the third and fourth centuries. It was discovered in 1985, and was recognised as a National Vestige Site in 1997 by the Ministry of Culture and Information. (VNA)