Jar tombs discovered in Vietnam: 04-08-2008
Scientists in Vietnam have found the remains of more than 200 people in the central Thua Thien-Hue province.
The cremated remains were found at the Con Rang relics in the Huong Tra district and are believed to be from adults from the Sa Huynh culture, making them between 1,800 and 3,000 years old.
A total of 216 cremation jars were found by scientists from the Vietnam Museum of History and the Museum of Revolutionary History.
It is the largest archaeological discovery of its kind to date and Museum of Revolutionary History director Van Dinh Thanh explained that the tombs were grouped together, some with just two jars, but others with as many as eight.
In total, archaeologists at the site have uncovered more than 1,300 artefacts at the site, including iron and bronze-works as well as porcelain.
The capital of the province, Hue, was formerly the Vietnamese royal capital city, while its "Green Corridor" is home to species of snakes, butterflies and orchids that were only discovered a matter of years ago.