Watch Global Treasures: Plain of Jars

Located in the north east of Laos, Phon Savang is the starting point of a journey to one of the country's most mysterious archaeological discoveries. On our journey to the archaeological excavation site that is situated eight kilometres south west of Phon Savang a simple monastery is a reminder of the poverty that is rife in the region. At first it looks as though several rocks are towering up into the sky but they are actually the legendary 'Jars', hundreds of huge stone jars that cover an area of twenty five hectares. A short journey separates the first archaeological site of the Plain Of Jars from the second that is close to Ban Lat Sen. Most of the present knowledge of the Jars was due to the work of French archaeologist, Madeleine Colani who came here in the nineteen thirties. She believed that that the mysterious jars were created by an unknown civilisation that lived in the region during the first century B. C. The Plain Of Jars has managed to keep its secrets right up until the present day and remains one of the most mysterious historic discoveries in Laos.