Nicholas Skopal
The new excavation marks the first time that intact human remains have been found inside jars on the Plain of Jars, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Archaeologists working in the mysterious Plain of Jars in northern Laos have discovered the first confirmed evidence that the region’s gigantic stone vessels were used in ancient funeral rituals.
The discovery centers on a huge stone container known as “Jug 1“, excavated at Site 75, on the Xieng Khouang Plateau. Researchers claim that the vessel contained the partially decomposed remains of several individuals, deposited there over several generations, around 1200 years ago. The discoveries, this week in Antiquity magazine, mark the first time that intact human remains have been found inside one of the jars.
Thousands of these stone jars, some with up to three meters highare spread across the Plain of Jarros, a UNESCO World Heritage Site believed to date back more than 2,000 years. Although archaeologists have long suspected that the jars were linked to burial practices, no direct evidence had previously confirmed this theory.
Nicholas Skopal, an archaeologist at James Cook University in Australia and co-author of the study, said that Jar 1 stands out from others discovered in Laos due to its thick walls and its wide cup-shaped structure “combined with the extraordinary amount of human remains inside”
Archaeologists have discovered bones of people ranging in age from children to adults. The remains appeared carefully organized, with skulls positioned around the rim of the jar and arm and leg bones grouped together, suggesting that the bodies decomposed elsewhere before the selected bones are placed in the container. Researchers believe the jar was likely used for “secondary burials,” in which remains are transferred after initial decomposition as part of a complex funerary ritual.
Radiocarbon dating of the teeth recovered from the jar revealed that the remains were deposited between 890 and 1160 ADindicating that the site was reused repeatedly over the centuries, possibly by extended families or community groups.
The team also discovered dozens of multicolored glass beads inside the jar, many of which are believed to have originated in India. Archaeologists say the artifacts highlight the region’s ancient trade links with Southeast Asia and suggest the beads may have played an important role in funeral ceremonies and ancestor worship.
The researchers caution, however, that it is still unclear whether all Plain of Jars vessels were used in the same way or whether Jar 1 reflects a specific local practice. Future DNA analysis could help determine whether individuals buried there were biologically related.
