The Plain of Jars
Thousands of huge stone jars lie scattered across the hills of northern Laos, and no one knows exactly why.
What was reported
Across the Xiangkhouang plateau in northern Laos lie thousands of stone jars, some up to 3 metres tall, in groups spread over dozens of sites. They were carved from stone more than two thousand years ago.
Local legend says they were made by giants, or that a king used them to brew rice wine to celebrate a great victory.
Explanations offered
Archaeologists think they were linked to funerals: human remains and grave goods have been found around them, and one idea is that bodies were placed in the jars before the bones were buried. The area was heavily bombed during the Vietnam War, and only cleared sites can be visited safely. The jars became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019.
- When
- Made more than 2,000 years ago
- Where
- Phonsavan, Xiangkhouang, Laos
- Witnesses
- Local people and archaeologists
- Status
- Purpose debated
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.