Two stone bars, which are 2.4m long, 0.3m wide and 7.4cm thick each, were lifted out of the water on July 27 while the other, which is much heavier, is still in the river.

The two stone bars have been handed to officials of the Provincial Culture, Sports and Tourism Department and the Thua Thien-Hue General Museum.

According to researcher Ho Tan Phan, the name of Ben Ngu in Hue was made known in the Nguyen Dynasty.

When the king went for the Nam Giao ritual – the performance that prays for a peaceful country and a prosperous people, he usually stopped his boats and retinue at this section of the river before sailing to the royal place Thuy Phu.