states: [laos]
category: cultural
year: 2019
region: Asia and the Pacific
latitude/longitude: 19.4310555556, 103.1522222222
Xiengkhuang – Plain of Jars, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Laos, recognized in 2019, is a mysterious archaeological landscape featuring over 2,100 giant stone jars scattered across the Xiengkhuang Plateau, dating from 500 BCE to 500 CE. Likely used for funerary rituals by an Iron Age culture, these hollowed megaliths, some weighing up to 10 tons, dot hilltops and valleys amid ancient settlements. This enigmatic site reflects Laos’ prehistoric past, offering a haunting glimpse into a lost civilization’s beliefs and craftsmanship.
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