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<< Our Photo Pages >> Hintang Archaeological Park - Standing Stones in Laos

Submitted by AlexAssa on Wednesday, 01 February 2017  Page Views: 2939

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Hintang Archaeological Park Alternative Name: Suan Hin Tang
Country: Laos Type: Standing Stones
Nearest Town: Na Thong  Nearest Village: Xam Neua
Latitude: 20.419045N  Longitude: 104.067120E
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
4 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
4 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
2 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
2

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Hintang Archaeological Park
Hintang Archaeological Park submitted by AlexAssa : Site in Laos Megalithica.ru (Vote or comment on this photo)
Standing Stones in Laos

(Hintang megalithic sites)

Another mysterious ancient site like the enigmatic Plain of Jars lies in the very east of north Laos: it's the megalithic menhirs of Hintang Archaeological Park. The park consists of 72 different sites in the jungle with alltogether around 1,500 menhirs - that's upright standing, long-shaped, pillar-like stones, hewn of schist. Additionally there are huge stone discs placed on the ground. The discs serve as closing lids for the entrances to underground chambers. It's supposed by archeologists that the site was an ancient burial place.

The menhirs of Hintang are certainly not the most spectacular thing one get's to see in his life. Nevertheless the site has it's charme. It's mysterious and far away from the beaten tourist track. Image by Asienreisender, 2006
Hintang Archeological Landscape's megalithic culture is dated back 2,000 to 3,000 years. That's roughly about the same age of the culture of the Plain of Jars, and there could have been a connection between both. However, it's very little explored by archeologists yet. That is partially so because the site is of smaller significance and less spectacular as other sites like Luang Prabang, Champasak or the Plain of Jars; besides it's suffering under contamination of unexploded ordnance (UXO, see also: 'Bombs on Laos').

Visiting the Hintang 'stone gardens' won't kick you into the orbit - it's nothing spectacular. You only see the menhirs in small groups standing in the nature. Access to the underground chambers is not possible.

There is also nothing done yet to preserve the sites. There is open access, no fence, no guard, no nothing to save them. The only hint to their historical meaning are a few signs with explanations (in English). The erosion process due to weather influences are obvious. The existing remains certainly look very different than they did in ancient times. The people who shaped them did that presumably with effort and care.
The intensive bombing by the US Air Force in the American Vietnam War also damaged the landscape heavily and partially the sites.
It can also be that locals or influencial Laotians take here and there a menhir away to put them elsewhere. That happens with the urns at the Plain of Jars at least.

Menhirs of Hintang
Another site with menhirs and some discs. The tallest menhir shows a graffiti (hardly to see on the small picture. It's written in English...). Image by Asienreisender, 2006
The stone gardens of Hintang were first researched in 1931 by an archaeological team led by Madeleine Colani (who did also the first researches on the Plain of Jars). Inside the burial chambers the archaeologists found very little: rough ceramic funeral urns, some stone objects for ceremonial use, some simple bronze bracelets... The findings are now in the Laotian National Museum in Vientiane. After the Colani expedition there was no further excavation done until today.
Since the menhirs mark the places so clearly, it's probable that tomb raiders found their way to them in the time the ancient culture wasn't anymore.

More details at /www.asienreisender.de/hintang.html and megalithica.ru
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Hintang Archaeological Park
Hintang Archaeological Park submitted by AlexAssa : Site in Laos Megalithica.ru (Vote or comment on this photo)

Hintang Archaeological Park
Hintang Archaeological Park submitted by AlexAssa (Vote or comment on this photo)

Hintang Archaeological Park
Hintang Archaeological Park submitted by AlexAssa (Vote or comment on this photo)

Hintang Archaeological Park
Hintang Archaeological Park submitted by AlexAssa (Vote or comment on this photo)

Do not use the above information on other web sites or publications without permission of the contributor.

Nearby Images from Flickr
Suan Keo Lak Meung Monument, Sam Neua, Laos
Sam Neua, Laos

The above images may not be of the site on this page, but were taken nearby. They are loaded from Flickr so please click on them for image credits.


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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 141.2km SSW 211° The Plain of Jars* Ancient Mine, Quarry or other Industry
 161.0km E 94° Hang Con Moong* Cave or Rock Shelter
 197.6km ENE 69° Dong Anh metal age furnaces Ancient Mine, Quarry or other Industry
 198.2km ENE 70° Vietnam National Museum of History Museum
 257.9km NNE 30° Tham Choong Cave Cave or Rock Shelter
 348.7km SSW 211° Phu Phra Bat Historical Park Rock Art
 409.6km S 176° Phu Pha Yol Rock Engravings Rock Art
 493.1km WSW 245° San Chao Pho Pratu Pha Rock Art
 578.7km SSE 164° Pha Taem Rock Art Rock Art
 602.9km SSW 199° Ban Non Wat Ancient Village or Settlement
 613.5km SW 233° Sukothai* Ancient Village or Settlement
 671.6km SSE 162° Wat Phou* Ancient Village or Settlement
 672.9km S 174° Prasat Preah Vihear* Ancient Temple
 695.2km SE 142° Mỹ Sơn* Ancient Temple
 713.3km S 188° Banteay Chhmar Ancient Temple
 723.3km SSW 211° Lopburi Temples* Ancient Temple
 739.6km S 176° Koh Ker* Ancient Village or Settlement
 748.7km S 180° Kbal Spean* Carving
 758.5km S 181° Banteay Srei* Ancient Temple
 770.1km SSW 209° Ayutthaya Historical Park* Ancient Village or Settlement
 772.3km S 179° Beng Mealea Ancient Temple
 772.7km S 182° Prasat Banteay Thom* Ancient Temple
 773.1km S 182° Banteay Prei* Ancient Temple
 773.2km S 181° Krol Ko* Ancient Temple
 773.2km S 181° Phnom Bok* Ancient Temple
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