The death jar: a new mortuary tradition at the Plain of Jars, Lao PDR

Abstract

Hundreds of large stone vessels can be found dispersed across the Xieng Khouang Plateau in northern Laos. Despite nearly a century of research, their purpose remains uncertain. Here, the authors report on the excavation of the exceptionally large Jar 1 at Site 75, which contains a collective mortuary assemblage of secondary interments. The disarticulated remains of at least 37 individuals hint at the jars’ function within a complex funerary sequence, with direct radiocarbon dating indicating a prolonged period of mortuary activity c. cal AD 890–1160, which was a time of increasing regional interaction and mobility in Southeast Asia. Show more