On a Laos holiday, one site that is well worth visiting is the Plain of Jars. This unusual megalithic landscape is home to thousands of giant stone jars, scattered across various hills and plains over a large area. The tallest of these jars are over three metres high, while others are closer to one metre in height. With only one exception, they are undecorated. Visiting the Plain of Jars is a unique experience and a highly recommended stop for any Laos holiday itinerary.
Origins of the Jars
The origins of the jars are still debated to this day, although their association with past burial practises is the most widely accepted theory. Inside and around the jars, archaeologists have found burnt teeth and bone fragments, glass beads, pottery fragments, metal objects and charcoal. The cave at Site 1, which can be visited on Laos holidays, is posited as a crematorium for the ancient dead, as it has two holes in the top which could have functioned as chimneys for the smoke. The jars are dated to the Iron Age (500 BC to 500 AD) and provide a highly valuable insight into the communities of Southeast Asia at that time.
The Legend of the Giants
The longstanding existence of the jars has, of course, led to plenty of local legends to explain their origins. One concerns a race of giants who once inhabited the area. An ancient king among these giants, Khun Cheung, led a long battle against his enemies, in which he was eventually victorious. To celebrate, he created the jars to brew and store large amounts of rice wine. While visiting the Plain of Jars on a Laos holiday, it is certainly entertaining to imagine an ancient party taking place on the rolling green hills.
A Caravanserai of Jars
Another, more prosaic, explanation is that the jars were used to collect and store monsoon rain for traders who passed through the region at drier times of the year, when water was not readily available. Though the water would go stagnant, the traders could boil it to render it safe for human consumption. The beads and other items found in and around the jars could have been left by these traders as an offering of thanks or to accompany prayers for heavy rainfall to fill the jars in the next monsoon.
Visiting the Plain of Jars
To visit the jars on a Laos holiday, it is generally easiest to journey to Phonsavanh and arrange a tour to the jars from there. Alternatively, an organised tour of Laos as a whole will often include the Plain of Jars on its itinerary. There are numerous sites in the Plain of Jars, but only a handful have been cleared of landmines dropped by the USA during the Vietnam War. The most commonly visited ones are Sites 1, 2 and 3 - all of which are perfectly safe for visitors.
Jude Limburn Turner is the Marketing Manager for Mountain Kingdoms, an adventure tour company who run several Laos holiday itineraries. Operating in Asia for over 20 years, they now offer treks and tours worldwide, including destinations in North and South America, Europe, Africa, and Central and South East Asia.
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Holiday in Laos 2008
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