FURTHER EXCAVATIONS AMONG THE MEGALITHS: RESEARCH AT PLAIN OF JARS SITE 2 IN LAOS

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 artifact 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.