stone

The remains of at least 37 people who died between the 9th and 13th centuries were found inside a massive stone vessel in northeastern Laos, and the discovery could finally resolve one of Southeast Asia's most enduring archaeological puzzles. According to a new study published in the journal Antiquity, this remarkable find strongly suggests that the thousands of stone "jars" scattered throughout northern Laos served a similar purpose, reinforcing the long-held theory that the mysterious Plain of Jars around the remote Lao town of Phonsavan was a vast ancient burial complex. The newfound jar is located in a forest about 70 kilometers (43 miles) northeast of Phonsavan, on the Xieng Khouang Plateau — a region dotted with thousands of these