Abstract
Xieng Khouang and neighboring provinces in Central Laos are home to a vast megalithic landscape featuring large stone jars, discs, and imported boulders located in elevated positions. Sites were first noted in the late nineteenth century, with systematic recording commencing in the 1930s. Despite subsequent survey efforts and more recent excavations, many previously noted sites remain unconfirmed and others undiscovered, limiting our understanding of the geographic extent of the jar sites and the culture that created the jars. Here we present the results of a 2019 survey across Xieng Khouang Province which led to the documentation of 15 previously unreported megalithic sites and one potential habitation site. With the inclusion of the survey data, the Lao PDR Government database of jar sites will grow from 83 to 102, with 94 of the sites now geo-located.
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Acknowledgements
Special thanks to the DoH (Director-General Thongbay Phothisan, Deputy Director-General Viengkeo Souksavathdy), the Xieng Khouang Provincial Government (Director Bouachan Bounnasin, Director Vongsa Douangthongla, Deputy Director Khamleun Aphaiyavong), all government and non-government individuals from Paek, Phaxay, Phoukoot, Kham, Khoun districts, and Australian volunteers (Michael Skopal and Jazmin Skopal), who contributed to the survey. This project was conducted as part of the PJARP, funded by the Australian Research Council (DP150101164).
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Skopal, N., Bounxaythip, S., Shewan, L. et al. Jars of the jungle: A report on newly discovered and documented megalithic jar sites in Lao People’s Democratic Republic. asian archaeol 3, 9–19 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41826-020-00030-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41826-020-00030-6