S41-9

New Discoveries of Megalithic Jars in Laos

Nicholas Skopal1 & Souliya Bounxaythip2

1Australian National University, Australia

2Department of Heritage, Laos

Xieng Khouang and neighboring provinces in Central Laos are home to a vast megalithic landscape featuring large stone jars, discs, and imported boulders, located in elevated positions. Sites were first noted in the late nineteenth century, with systematic recording commencing in the 1930s. Continuing on from the 2019 field survey by the Plain of Jars Archaeological Research Project, this paper presents the results of a 2020 survey across Xieng Khouang Province, Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR). The project led to the documentation of 27 previously unreported megalithic sites. This has contributed to the growing the Lao PDR Government database andincreased the known jar sites from 102 to 129, with 124 geo-located. In addition, a preliminary analysis of the known jar sites to date is conducted regarding distribution and jar characteristics providing a basis for further investigation.