NORTH QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA—The disarticulated remains of multiple generations of people and imported glass beads have been discovered in a large jar at Site 75 on the Plain of Jars in northern Laos, Live Science reports. More than 2,000 stone jars ranging in size from about three to 10 feet tall have been found on the Plain of Jars. It has long been thought that these jars could have been used for burials. Nicholas Skopal of James Cook University said that the newly excavated jar measures nearly seven feet across, has thick walls, a broad base, and a bowl-like appearance. Skulls were placed along the edges of the jar, while arms and legs were placed together. Radiocarbon dating of teeth from the jar indicates that the remains were collected between A.D. 890 and 1160. “The current evidence suggests this was a collective mortuary space used repeatedly over generations, potentially by extended family or community groups,” Skopal said. DNA analysis could reveal relationships between the dead, he added. It is not yet clear, however, if all of the vessels on the Plain of Jars were used in the same way. Read the original scholarly article about this research in Antiquity. For more, go to "Letter from Laos: A Singular Landscape."
