Plain of Jars Site 1, a photo from Xiangkhoang, North

Photographer's Note

Day 10
Plain of Jars Site 1 is the most visited site of the 3 safest Plain of Jars sites to visit, and there is a restaurant near-by. It is a lot bigger than site 2, which we visited the previous day, and has 250 - 300 jars, thought to be 2000 years old. Here many of the jars are a lot bigger, some over 2m tall. The largest is 4m tall and weighs 6 tonnes. Some are made of granite instead of the more usual sandstone. They have approximately a third of the height under the ground. As explained yesterday very little is known about the purpose of the jars as nothing to analyse has been found in any of them. However, ashes of human remains have been found underneath some of the jars and elsewhere near-by, giving rise to the following hypothesis: it is thought that immediately after death the body was put into a jar to de-compose, so leaving the “essence” of the person. Only then could they take out the remains to be cremated and buried under the jar. It is thought each family member would use the same jar.
This photo shows one of the larger of the jars; the top of the lower side is about 2m (6ft) from the ground. Sorry there is nothing here to show the scale. The rim is not on all the jars. It is thought to be so they could put buffalo hide on the top as a cover. A few jars have a stone lid, carved to fit.
As with site 2 in yesterday’s post we had to stay within the MAG markers to be safe from UXOs (unexploded ordnance) left over from the Secret War. One of the WS photos is taken across a bomb crater looking over at some of the jars. You can see people there for scale. The other WS is taken looking down across the plain from where the jar in the main photo is.

Have a look in the theme on the left for details of the Secret War.

You might also find it interesting to follow Chrisj's links

ALIRIZA, coco, riclopes, qpochet, Paolo, ChrisJ, Didi, plimrn, weswang, Stepan, peck, Fixfocus, Davidwh, efigesta, anavazao, singuanti, pastadog, Tue, rabdelnoor, droonsta, darrasin ha puntuado esta nota como útil.

Critiques | Translate

ALIRIZA (16423) 2006-03-27 3:52

Hello Kath,
Good composition, very nice shot. Beautiful image with good framing, point of view, depth of field, colors and sharpness you have caught. Congratulations...

coco (30439) 2006-03-27 4:02

Hi Kath.
This photo is better than your previous shot. The composition is better and I like very much the light (adds soft colours and I like it).

And the note interesting too.

Carlos.

riclopes (35577) 2006-03-27 4:04

Hi Kath,
Another great composition of these impressive jars, along with the magnific complementary shots in ws, which give us the scale. Very good dephness, sharpness and colours and excellent note as usual. Congratulations!
TFS,
Ricardo

Gerrit (56749) 2006-03-27 4:25

Hi Kath,
Very well composed, this one. What a remarkable place. Good definition and light.
Thanks and regards, Gerrit

Angshu (56760) 2006-03-27 4:48

Hi Kath
An extremely clear shot of these amazing man made structures. Good depth & colour & sharpness to clearly exhibit the textures.
Regards
Angshu

qpochet (1412) 2006-03-27 4:51

Hi Kath,

Very nice shot. I like the soft tones and the composition here. Your note is very interesting too.
Nice job!
Quentin.

Paolo (41254) 2006-03-27 5:18

Hi Kath, the famous Jars!!
i never went there....sic...
good shot with that mysterious and gigantic jar.
perfect focus, POV and light balance.
thanks, ciao

ChrisJ (152610) 2006-03-27 5:37

Hi Kath

Your PM, Tony Blair, has been quipping 'where the bloody hell am I', during his current whirlwind visit to Australia.

I took a shot of this jar too. 'Hai Jeuam' at Ban Ang (Plain of Jars, Site 1), is the grand daddy of the jars. It weighs 6 or 7 tonnes, & is 3 metres high.

This is a link to TrekEarth Laos

rbcy1974 (20758) 2006-03-27 8:58

Hello Kath
I like this view better than the otherone as you face the jars upfront and have anicer perspective,
Colours are sitll a bit dull, but I guess the light didnt help.
Regards
Daniel

Didi (61569) 2006-03-27 12:07

Hi Kath
I think one Treker ha post a similar picture.
But I love the sharpeness of your composition for appreciating the texture of the stone.
Very good and soft lights.
Time moment was well choosen.
Cheers.

plimrn (21344) 2006-03-27 13:24

Hi Kath,
This composition really shows the details of the jars well. Interesting but noncompetetive background detail. You sure have a steady hand, good detail throughout the compo with your relatively long shutter speed. The workshop photos again add depth to your presentation Very interesting note also.

weswang (18223) 2006-03-27 14:25

Hi Kath, Thanks for the shot and the detailed description about the jars. They do look big and well caved. Nice shot with great details and texture together with a good view of the background mountains.

Stepan (27210) 2006-03-27 14:57

Must be a strange ans mysterious place. I like the close up with the countryside background on the right. Precisely composed.
Stéphane

Fixfocus (9385) 2006-03-27 15:41

Hi Kath,
This one really shows the impressive size of the Jars,good framing and compo and a superb light to make the details visible.
Greetings,
Hermann

Galmeida (12559) 2006-03-27 16:36

Hi Kath,
Excelent composition with these jars. Good complementary pictures and Info. Good perspective and enquadrement view. Excelent sharpness, colors, light and angle approach. My best regards and Congratulations.

Fernando

Davidwh (3662) 2006-03-27 17:51

Hi Kath,
Like the composition. You are drawn into the image by the line of jars and then you notice the trail in the distance on the left as if it is a continuation.Great texture and nice and sharp.Looked at some of your other work, very nice.
Regards, David

efigesta (12188) 2006-03-27 18:07

Hi my friend

great dof and pov here with a nice colors
regards
manuel

anavazao (5592) 2006-03-27 18:42

Hi,
great perspective with nice colours, composition and idea!
Good note!
Have a good week!
Thanks ana:)

singuanti (15250) 2006-03-27 21:50

Hi Kath. I think your composition is a lot stronger here than the previous jar shot. Your exposure settings were just what you'd want in this situation. Another good one in the series Kath.

pastadog (13111) 2006-03-28 3:24

Hi Kath, thanks for this excellent shot, another original one of your Laos trip. Remarkable quality and POV to show these jars. Paradoxically, when I first saw the shot I thought the jars were much smaller than they really are - and this makes the photo fantastic; IMO in this case an element to show scale, like a person, should have been counterproductive. Then I read in your note about the real height. Regards, Daniel

peck (2779) 2006-03-28 3:34

Hi Kath,
very interesting place and really good photo. I like this framing and your point of view :))
greetings,
Gregory

rosaline (0) 2006-03-28 3:41

Hi Kath
Great shot of this site of Jars. I've never heard of this place before but you have given us a good intro to it. Nice composition and good, high impact framing. Well done.
Aubrey

Tue (72088) 2006-03-28 7:37

Hej Kath,
Wow, 4m, that's really tall! But the one here with its 2m from the ground is impressive too! Well captured in a good composition. I like the textures on the jars. Well done and thanks for sharing!
Hilsner,
Lars

rabdelnoor (3423) 2006-03-28 19:50

Hi Kath,
Very nice composition and good perspective on this shot. I liked how you framed the jars contrasting with the arid ground and the beautiful sky. Great note as usual.
Take care,
Ricardo

john_c (24666) 2006-03-29 10:10

Hi Kath,
An impressive and incredible sight. These jars are indeed mysterious. I like your POV here and the artistic way you have presented the jar in the foreground. The muted colours blend well together. Once again, a superb note. Well captured, Kath.
JOhn

repaulson (607) 2006-04-10 12:51

Mysterious! I like the texture of the jars. Nice historical background.
Ross

terimakasi74 (285) 2007-01-16 8:27