We Finally Know The True Age of The Huge, Mysterious Objects in Laos' Plain of Jars

Science Alert ^ | March 9, 2021 | Peter Dockrill

[SunkenCiv]

According to their analysis – using a technique called Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) to date the ancient stone – the jars were positioned potentially as early as the late second millennium BCE.

Evidence discovered of varied mortuary practices at some of the sites – including primary burial of human skeletons, and also bundled or jarred collections of bones – was also dated by radiocarbon dating, suggesting activity between 9-13th century CE.

On the face of the most recent evidence, this means the Plain of Jars pre-dates the most recent and confirmed discoveries of mortuary practices, by potentially thousands of years. As for what that means, we don't yet know.

"The data presented here strongly suggests that the placement of the megaliths preceded the mortuary activity around the jars, indicating re-use of the sites and enduring ritual significance," the researchers write...

Examination of megaliths in one site suggests the most likely quarry was 8 kilometres (5 miles) away from where the jars ended up – so just how the ancient culture that created these objects (estimated to weigh up to over 30 tonnes) managed to also transport them, is yet another unknown.

Still a mystery for the ages, then, and no mistake.

[SunkenCiv]

Dating the megalithic culture of laos: Radiocarbon, optically stimulated luminescence and U/Pb zircon results
Louise Shewan ,Dougald O’Reilly ,Richard Armstrong,Phillip Toms,John Webb,Nancy Beavan,Thonglith Luangkhoth,Jamie Wood,Siân Halcrow,Kate Domett,Julie Van Den Bergh,Nigel Chang
Published: March 10, 2021

[Red Badger]

World’s largest Kim-Chee factory?...................

[Larry Lucido]

Jar jar binks

[SunkenCiv]

I like Red Badger's Kim Chee theory.

[SunkenCiv]

Giant piggy binks.

[9422WMR]

Stupid article.
“We still don’t know how these were moved, some weighing 30 tons”.
Did you look at them? They are round. You ROLL round things.
A feat so simple, even cave men could have done it!!

[reed13k]

Reminds me of Civil War era Mortars.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

First time I ever heard of the Plain of Jars was back in the early 1960s when the commies were attacking across it heading South. When Laos fell, the US rushed troops to the Thai border to prevent an invasion of Thailand.

[bunkerhill7]

They weigh more than won ton.

[SunkenCiv]

:^) If these had been on Guam, the whole island might have tipped over.

[Billthedrill]

Did anyone think to test them for peanut butter?

[Clutch Martin]

I’ll go with 1000 year old egg theory.

[Grampa Dave]

“We still don’t know how these were moved, some weighing 30 tons”.

Did you look at them? They are round. You ROLL round things.

A feat so simple, even cave men Republican Neanderthals could have done it!!

[GOYAKLA]

Hollow points of a REALLY large caliber!

[bunkerhill7]

There was a mansion dere before.
Every time somebody went in or out,
they left the door ajar.
That’s why they is so many jars dere.

[BeauBo]

[Magnum44]

A feat so simple, even cave men could have done it!!

[Mr. K]

Rolling 30 tons of something is not easy, even if it’s round

[Auntie Dem]

Yeah, look how hard it is to get Stacey Abrams out of Georgia!

[colorado tanker]

The Man With No Name: Get three jars ready . . .