Geological mysteries of the Plain of Jars begin to unravel

The Plain of Jars in north-eastern Laos is home to over 2000 stone jars varying in size from 100 kg to over 30 tonnes. The jars were probably made between 1500 and 2500 years ago; however, who by is not known, as the indigenous people have only lived in the area for 1000 years. Local legend speaks of these jars being used to store Lao-Lao or rice whisky; research indicates that these jars were part of loca funerary rites. There are currently 60 known jar sites, where anywhere between one and 350 individual jars are recorded. The jars are constructed from a variety of lithologies although a few basic rules to selecting suitable rocks have been observed. This study outlines which rock types have been used and how the characteristics of the rock mass controlled the jar makers' selection.