Plain of Jars

The town of Phonsavan, Laos has nothing of interest for the traveler. It is cold and gray (bring layers). The buildings are all concentrated on the town's two roads and have the unappealing architecture of the 1960s Communist style. There are two restaurants in town. The ATM went in just a few months ago and the Internet cafe stays open only as long as there are customers, closing usually by 5:30 (and not 10 as noted on the sign).

Just outside of town, though, are the visit-worthy collection of archeological sites known as the Plain of Jars. The "jars" are stone vessels the size of a man. I stood inside The jars are made from stone quarried five miles away. It is believed that they were hollowed out and decorated using stone tools, since metal tools were not available at the time of creation. There are three sites near Phonsavan that each contain hundreds of jars. These sites are collectively known as the Plain of Jars. Only portions of the sites are open to visitors because areas proximate to the sites contain unexploded ordnances. The approved path is lined with white and red markers: the white side indicates that it is safe to walk; the red side indicates that the area has not yet been deemed clear of live explosives left by US forces during the Vietnam War. There are other sites with jars that are currently closed to visitors because they have not been cleared.

The jars date back some 3,000 years, but their purpose is unclear. One theory is that the residents used the vessels to store rice. This is ridiculous because nomadic populations wouldn't store rice in enormous quantities in inaccesible locations in jars that would require enormous efforts to create. A second theory is that the jars were used for funerary purposes. Given the importance of funerary practices in human cultures, this is a plausible theory. However, there has been no evidence of human remains found in the jars. A third theory is that there was another religious purpose for the jars, which is another plausible explanation.

The jars are located in seemingly random formations. But they are set in lovely landscapes. Also, they are display interesting designs. It is worth the 10-hour one-way bus ride to Phonsavan from either Luang Prabang or Vientiane.