Secondary burial practice at megalithic jar site 1, Plain of Jars Laos

In 2020 a Lao/Australian archaeological research team revisited one of the largest megalithic jar sites in Laos, Site 1, and undertook excavations in an effort to more fully understand the ritual practice at the site. This paper reviews previous research undertaken at the site and describes the recent excavation which revealed evidence of secondary burial practice dating to the 8th to thirteenth centuries. The research confirms the use of Site 1 as a burial site where multiple individuals were interred in secondary burials in shared mortuary contexts

Further Excavations Among the Megaliths: Research at Plain of Jars Site 2 in Laos: Plain of Jars Site 2

The Plain of Jars Archaeological Research Project (PJARP) team has been investigating the megalithic jars of North central Laos since 2016 with excavations conducted at three jar sites (Sites 1, 2 and 52) in Xieng Khouang Province. This paper presents the methodology and results of the excavation of Site 2 (Ban Nakho) undertaken in 2019. While similarities are apparent in the archaeological evidence uncovered between Site 2 and the other sites excavated by the team, important differences can be discerned between these sites. Features common at all sites include sandstone chips, limestone blocks and artefact assemblages. The finds and dating for Site 2 are presented here to place the site in a regional context, contributing to the understanding of this enigmatic megalithic culture and the expanding corpus of known sites.