The archaeologists recently found that the jars in the “Plain of Jars” were used as burial sites. They have also found that though the jars could be 3,000 years old, the human remains suggest that people were buried along side these jars 700 years ago, which is relatively recent.
About the recent Discoveries
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According the scientists, the vessels in the Plain of Jars were placed in late Second millennium BCE. On the other hand, the human remains come from 13th century. It is possible that the jars were always used as burial sites.
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Some also say that these jars were used for brewing celebratory rice wine and whiskey.
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These conclusions were made only after four jar sites were studied. There are plenty of unexplored jar sites in Laos.
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The jars were made of different rock types such as Limestone, Granite, Conglomerate, Breccia, Sandstone. However, the majority of the jars were made of sandstone.
Where is the Plain of Jars located?
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The Plain of Jars is located in Laos. It is a megalithic archaeological landscape. It consists of thousands of stone jars. These jars are found in the lower foothills of Xiangkhoang Plateau.
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There are more than 90 Jar sites in the plateau. Each site has more than 400 stone jars. Some of the jars have stone lids as well.
About the Jars
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The Jars are cylindrical in shape. The bottom of the jar is wider than the top.
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In 1930, a French researcher Madeleine Colani concluded that the jars were associated with burial practices. This interpretation was supported by Japanese and Laos archaeologists with the discovery of human remains.
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The Plain of Jars became the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019.