Plain of Jars description and photos - Laos: Xieng Khouang (Topic)

Plain of Jars description and photos - Laos: Xieng Khouang. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The title in English is Plain of Jars.

Photo and description

Near the Annam mountains, along which the border between Laos and Vietnam passes, on the Xieng Khouang plateau there is a unique archaeological site - the Valley of Kuvshinov. It is named so because of its main objects: stone pots, 1 to 3 meters in diameter, which are randomly scattered on the low hills surrounding the valley, along which the ancient trade road leading to Thailand used to pass. Along it are placed these jugs, whose age is about 2000-2500 years. They were made of stone by an unknown people.

Scientists who worked in the Valley of the Jugs in the 1930s have several explanations for the purpose of these pots. The jugs could be used to store food or drinking water, which were destined for merchant caravans. But the more likely version of the French archaeologist Madeleine Colani, who found burial furnaces, ritual objects and ceramics in the valley. She suggested that the ashes of dead people were kept in the pots.

The stone jugs have no decorations, except for one, which can be seen on site # 1. It is decorated with the image of a man who crouched down a bit. For this, he has already been dubbed "the frog man." A similar drawing was found on a rock wall in China.

There are about 90 pitcher sites in the valley. But only 3 sites are available for tourists. The fact is that in the 70s of the last century, the Americans intensively bombed this territory. Until now, there are unexploded shells, which are gradually being removed by sappers.

We also recommend reading Matusadona National Park description and photos - Zimbabwe

Topic: Plain of Jars description and photos - Laos: Xieng Khouang.