Researchers from the Australian National University’s (ANU) school of Archaeology have discovered a sophisticated trading network in southern Vietnam that operated for 1,500 years, from 2500 BC to 1000 BC.

The team found evidence at the Rach Nui site suggesting large quantities of items were manufactured and imported to areas hundreds of kilometres away from their origin.

Researchers found sandstone grinding tools, used axe heads and other stone items, despite the area containing no stone resources.

Dr Catherine Frieman, the project’s lead researcher and an expert in ancient stone tools, told media that the discovery suggested people were importing stone from a quarry over 80 kilometres away in order to produce the artefacts.