Valley of the pitchers is located in Laos, in the province of Xieng Khouang. A group of sites with historical and archaeological monuments, is a very mysterious place, across the valley scattered huge number of giant stone jars, which tied a lot of secrets, how they are having who could create them, and what they were used for. Stone jars are scattered at the foot of Annamskogo ridge separating Laos and Vietnam. On the territory of the valley is more than 60 sites with pitchers, more of them located in Xieng Khouang province. More of them located in Xieng Khouang province, but they are also found in Thailand and in northern India. The largest group of pitchers found near the town of Phonsavan is called “the first landing,” there are about 250 pots. Dimensions pitchers range from one to three meters and a weight of about 6 tons, their shape is also diverse – rectangular or round, are found in the valley of drives that are likely to serve as covers for these pots. The material for the manufacture of pitchers as the analysis of researchers, used rocks, granite, sandstone or calcified coral.

But it is not so rosy things for scientists to answer the question, which were used and who created these amazing pitchers. The age of some pots from about 1500 to 2000 years, and have been used by the people who lived in Southeast Asia, whose culture remains completely unknown. According to archaeologists who found the tools in the valley, bronze objects suggests that most likely served as vessels for burial urns. According to other versions of jars were used for food storage, water or other substances. There is also a version that they were left in the valley to collect rainwater for trade caravans. flickr/Damien @ Flickr

But in addition to the assumptions of archaeologists, there are legends of the indigenous peoples of Laos, in their stories, earlier in these places lived ancient people of the giants, they were masters of the valley, but one day, for some reason left the place, leaving jugs scattered along the valley thus formed pitchers valley. According to another legend, the king Trung Khung when scored with his army victory over his enemies, ordered to make for a large number of rice wine “lao-lao”, and under this wine created a gigantic jugs, a celebration and festivities for all its people.

During the civil war in the 1970s, Xieng Khouang province has undergone a massive bombing by the US Air Force, the capital of the province was completely bombed, was also destroyed by shells large number of archaeological and historical sites in Laos. Now scientists studying the valley pitchers are constantly in danger, as a large number of unexploded ordnance left after the war that prevents scientists to study how to historic sites. For this reason, a significant part of the territory of the valley remains inaccessible to tourists and are only a few areas completely cleared of shells, they are open to visitors. Since pitchers Valley is an important historical and tourist area, the authorities of Laos are trying to get to the Valley of the pitchers UNESCO World Heritage, which should speed up the cleaning of the valley from the shells and assist in the preservation of historical heritage of the province and the development of tourism in the area.

flickr/Damien @ Flickr

flickr/cangsp

flickr/alan sheldon

flickr/Zeke Mermell

flickr/Active Asia VietNam

flickr/Lindsay

flickr/Russell Scott

Source – en.wikipedia.org, plainofjars.net