Description of the attraction
Near the Annam mountains, along which the border between Laos and Vietnam runs, on the Xieng Khouang plateau there is a unique archaeological site - the Valley of Jugs. It is named so because of its main objects: stone pots with a diameter of 1 to 3 meters, which are randomly scattered on the low hills surrounding the valley, along which the ancient trade road leading to Thailand used to pass. Along it, these jugs are placed, the age of which is about 2000-2500 years. They were made of stone by an unknown people.
Scientists working in the Valley of Jugs in the 1930s have several explanations for the purpose of these pots. The jugs could be used to store food or drinking water, which were destined for traders' caravans. But the version of the French archaeologist Madeleine Colani, who found burial furnaces, ritual objects and ceramics in the valley, is considered more likely. She suggested that the ashes of dead people were kept in the pots.
The stone jugs have no decorations, except for one, which can be seen on site # 1. It is decorated with the image of a man who crouched down a bit. For this he has already been dubbed "the frog man." A similar drawing was found on a cliff wall in China.
There are about 90 pitcher sites in the valley. But only 3 sites are available for tourists. The fact is that in the 70s of the last century, the Americans intensively bombed this territory. Until now, there are unexploded shells, which are gradually being removed by sappers.
