Finding the skeleton can shed light on the secret of the Plain of Jars

Scientists are close to the goal of explaining the existence of the Plain of Jars, one of the most mysterious archaeological sites in Asia when they discovered the ancient burial place in the region.

For decades, historians and archaeologists have tried to find the secret behind the site, where thousands of stone jars are scattered along the Xieng Khouang plateau in Laos, according to the International Business Times.

Jars of Jars in Xieng Khouang, Laos.(Photo: ANU).

The latest discovery by a team from the Australian National University (ANU) is part of the region's first comprehensive excavation project in the 1930s. The research team led by Dr. Dougald O'Reilley, found see many 2,500-year-old skeletons in one of the 90 locations that make up the Chum Field. O'Reilley's team hopes to find out that will help clarify the purpose of the jars.

In the 1930s, French archaeologist Madeleine Colani, the first to discover the Chum Field, argued that this iron-era monument was associated with burial practices of prehistoric people. Stone jars with numbers from 1 to 400 in each position and a height of 1-3 meters, to store cremated remains. The new finding reinforces Colani's hypothesis and archaeologists hope it can expand their understanding of ancient burial practices in the region.

O'Reilley's group noticed three different types of burial in the excavation process."There are lakes filled with human bones with a large limestone slab. On the other hand, the skeleton is placed in ceramic pail. Excavation also revealed for the first time the basic burial type in one position. , in which one died in the grave, " O'Reilley said.

The first evidence of basic burial in the Chum Field.(Photo: ANU).

"The importance of new discoveries cannot be underestimated. This will be the beginning of a new era, clarifying the secret of the Chum Field" , Lia Genovese, a researcher on the Field of Jars, said.

"The skeletons found during the excavation test of the graveyard function of the field, but the function of the stone jars is still a mystery. The heaviest chum carved from solid sandstone weighs about 32 tons according to the convention. calculated by British geologist Jeremy Baldock " , Genovese, Southeast Asian cultural heritage teacher, said.

One theory given by O'Reilly is the real stone jars used for decomposition. The professor said that after finishing the process, the skeleton was buried nearby.

"Laboratory analysis, including dating with carbon isotopes, will significantly expand our understanding of the region, about the ancient community and their customs, including customary practices. I am sure that the findings will reinforce the position of the Jars of Jars in Southeast Asian archeology , " Genovese said.