Laos Jars Reveal Ancient Burial Secrets and Trade Links

Archaeologists found 37 people buried in one stone jar in Laos, showing complex ancient burial customs. This is a major step in understanding the past.
By Newsroom | Archaeology, Laos |

LAOS - Recent archaeological work at Laos's enigmatic 'Plain of Jars' has illuminated long-held questions surrounding the giant stone vessels, suggesting a complex system of secondary burial practices. Excavations have unearthed the remains of at least 37 individuals interred within one colossal stone jar, providing new material for understanding the rituals of a bygone era. These discoveries coincide with a period of expanding regional commerce across Asia, potentially linking the jar-makers to broader trade networks.

Mystery of the ancient giant stone jars of Laos may have been solved - 1

The presence of human remains within the jars strongly indicates secondary burial rites, a practice where bodies were first interred elsewhere and later moved for final placement. This challenges earlier, simpler interpretations and paints a picture of more elaborate mortuary customs.

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Researchers involved in the multi-season excavation project have employed a range of advanced techniques, including drone surveys, radiocarbon and luminescence dating, and isotopic analysis. Metal artifacts and glass beads, conserved at the Robert Cripps Institute for Cultural Conservation in Australia, have also been returned to Laos as part of this ongoing effort. Despite these methodological advances, the precise origins of the jars—who carved them, when they were fashioned, and how they were transported—remain subjects of continued investigation.

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Ongoing Enigmas and Methodological Prowess

The Plain of Jars, located in the Xieng Khouang province, features thousands of these massive stone containers scattered across northern Laos. Ranging from one to three meters in height and weighing up to 20 tonnes, their construction and deployment present significant logistical puzzles. =While the dating of the jars themselves points to antiquity, possibly the late Iron Age, definitive answers regarding their creators and purpose are still being pieced together.=

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Recent findings have also included urn burials, with human bone fragments found inside smaller, decorated ceramic vessels buried near the larger stone jars. This suggests a nuanced approach to mortuary practices, potentially involving different stages or social strata in the disposal of the dead.

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The research, a collaboration involving Laotian heritage custodians and international experts, is complicated by the enduring presence of unexploded ordnance in the region, a stark reminder of its more recent violent history. Nonetheless, the scientific community presses on, believing similar undisturbed sites may yet yield further revelations about this megalithic culture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What new information has been found at the Plain of Jars in Laos?
Archaeologists found remains of 37 people inside a giant stone jar, suggesting complex secondary burial practices were used by ancient people.
Q: How does this discovery change our understanding of ancient Laos?
The findings suggest more elaborate mortuary customs than previously thought and may link the jar-makers to wider trade networks in Asia.
Q: What methods are being used to study the Plain of Jars?
Researchers are using drone surveys, dating techniques like radiocarbon and luminescence, and isotopic analysis to understand the jars and the people who used them.
Q: Are there still mysteries about the Plain of Jars?
Yes, the exact origins of the jars, who made them, when, and how they were moved are still being investigated, as are the precise purposes of the different jar sizes and urn burials found nearby.
Q: What challenges do researchers face in Laos?
Unexploded bombs from past conflicts in the region make some areas dangerous, but scientists believe more discoveries are possible at undisturbed sites.