Jars of the dead in Laos

Debi

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Researchers Find Hundreds of Megalithic 'Jars of the Dead' Dating Back Around 2,000 Years — Curiosmos

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I was doing research on "real" ghost stories in Taiwan about 27+ years ago. (I know the time frame because I took my infant son with me to the cemeteries. Wife had a fit). Anyway, in the cemeteries there were many large jars about 3 feet tall. Inside of them were the complete skeletons of those that had been disinterred after a set number of years per Chinese custom.

I would take the lid off the jars and "explore" the remains inside. It was quite fascinating and you learned very quickly the difference between male and female skeletons and skulls. And talk about "haunted" places, especially the old cemeteries. Ah, the stories I could tell, lol...
 
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I was doing research on "real" ghost stories in Taiwan about 27+ years ago. (I know the time frame because I took my infant son with me to the cemeteries. Wife had a fit). Anyway, in the cemeteries there were many large jars about 3 feet tall. Inside of them were the complete skeletons of those that had been disinterned after a set number of years per Chinese custom.

I would take the lid off the jars and "explore" the remains inside. It was quite fascinating and you learned very quickly the difference between male and female skeletons and skulls. And talk about "haunted" places, especially the old cemeteries. Ah, the stories I could tell, lol...
So, once the bodies are disinterned, where do they go? Interesting custom.
 
So, once the bodies are disinterned, where do they go? Interesting custom.

They stay in the jars "forever".....although some few of the families currently will have them cremated. Although cremation is highly frowned upon according to Chinese customs.
 
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They stay in the jars "forever".....although some few of the families currently will have them cremated. Although cremation is highly frowned upon according to Chinese customs.
Interesting. Oh, and you know those haunted stories are always welcome. :)
 
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Is this where the saying “put a lid on it” came from ? :D