In northern Laos, a valley at the border with Vietnam is covered with massive jugs made of ancient sandstone. The place was a kind of cemetery. Until now, it was estimated to be 2,000 years old, but new research has shown that the giant jugs where the corpses were placed are more than 3,000 years old, Livescience reports.
According to Louise Shewan, an archaeologist at the University of Melbourne, the site had a ritual purpose and was used for a long time. The mysterious "Plain of Jars" is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are about 400 jugs in the area, which cover 24 hectares.
Scientists have discovered a different composition of graves at the "Plain of Jars." The entire human skeleton was found in the main tombs, while separate bones were also found next to the jugs.
Scientists have conducted studies by radioactive carbon dating to find that the jugs are more than 3,000 years old, although the remains of humans that have survived to this day date back to the 9th - 12th centuries AD.
The question of how many people each jug was used for is the subject of controversy among archaeologists.
The "Plain of Jars" is one of the oldest among the various historical cemeteries in the world.
Photoes: Plain of Jars Archaeological Project
