The beautiful grassy meadows and the rolling brown and purple hills that mark the large plateau in the north-east Laos, reveal mysterious groupings of large stone jars scattered around in dozens of sites.
Believed to be about 2000 years old, the jars weigh from about 600kg (1300lb) to 1 tonne. Some of them even have stone lids lying nearby. Many theories about their purpose have been advanced during the years, but since the area was a frequent war site for the decades that have passed, they still remain a mystery.
The largest of the jars weighs about 6 tonnes. Among other theories they’re been thought of as storage vessels or possibly funerary urns. Some local legends say that they were made to ferment the rice wine needed to celebrate victory over a cruel chieftain.
Because of frequent wars the area is still not free of unexploded ordnance, and only the main three jar sites are considered safe to visit with the experienced guides. If you plan to visit, be sure to stay on the footpaths!
