A ‘jar’ jammed with human bones may solve Laos’ ‘Plain of Jars’ mystery
Archaeologists have discovered a stone vessel in northeastern Laos containing the remains of at least 37 individuals. These remains date back to between the 9th and 13th centuries, indicating a burial ritual associated with ancestor worship. This finding supports the theory that the numerous stone jars in the region served a similar purpose as part of an ancient burial complex.
- ▪The stone vessel is over two meters across and is believed to be a multigenerational burial site.
- ▪The remains found are thought to be from people who lived more than 1,000 years ago.
- ▪This discovery reinforces the idea that the Plain of Jars was a significant ancient burial complex.
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| Original publisher | Science News |
| Canonical URL | https://www.sciencenews.org/article/jar-human-bones-solve-laos-mystery |
| Publication time | Mon, 18 May 2026 23:01:00 +0000 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-18T23:04:56.983Z |
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News Archaeology A ‘jar’ jammed with human bones may solve Laos’ ‘Plain of Jars’ mystery The stone vessel held remains of at least 37 ancient people, suggesting a burial ritual The remains of at least 37 people who died from the 9th to 13th centuries were found in this stone vessel in northeastern Laos. Nicholas Skopal By Tom Metcalfe 59 seconds ago Share this:Share Share via email (Opens in new window) Email Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit Share on X (Opens in new window) X Print (Opens in new window) Print Archaeologists have discovered the remains of at least 37 people in a large stone “jar” in northern Laos.
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