Excavating among the megaliths: recent research at the ‘Plain of Jars’ site 1 in Laos

The date and significance of the megalithic jar sites of central Laos are comparatively poorly understood features of the Southeast Asian archaeological landscape. First explored systematically in the 1930s, only limited research on these sites has been undertaken since. This article presents the re...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Antiquity 2019-08, Vol.93 (370), p.970-989
Main Authors: O'Reilly, Dougald, Shewan, Louise, Domett, Kate, Halcrow, Sian E, Thonglith, Luangkhoth
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Anthropological research
Archaeology
Bones
Boulders
Charcoal
Child mortality
Children
Cremation
Excavation
Excavations (Archaeology)
Grave goods
Historic artifacts
Historical analysis
Human remains
Infant mortality
Infants
Laos
Material culture
Megalithic monuments
Memorials & monuments
Mortality
Mortuary practice
Population
Stone
Teeth
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Summary:The date and significance of the megalithic jar sites of central Laos are comparatively poorly understood features of the Southeast Asian archaeological landscape. First explored systematically in the 1930s, only limited research on these sites has been undertaken since. This article presents the recent excavations at Ban Ang--or site 1--a megalithic jar site of nearly 400 jars, located in Xieng Khouang Province. The results confirm the findings of earlier research, but additionally reveal a range of mortuary practices, high rates of infant and child mortality, and new evidence dating these interments to the ninth to thirteenth centuries AD.
ISSN:0003-598X
1745-1744
DOI:10.15184/aqy.2019.102