Скачать с ютуб Ancient burial jars mystify researchers в хорошем качестве

Ancient burial jars mystify researchers

(7 Feb 2015) Around 600 years ago, the people living in the remote Cardamom Mountains in southern Cambodia placed the bones of their dead in large jars on steep ledges hidden deep in the jungle. Ten years after discovering a large gravesite full of jars, researchers are still baffled as to why ancient Cambodians used jars in this way. This is some of the densest tropical rainforest in Southeast Asia, and home to wild animals like elephants, bears and tigers, as well as diseases like malaria and dengue fever. Cambodian ceramics expert, Tep Sokha and US-born archaeologist, Dr. Nancy Beavan are flying deep into the jungle to Phnom Khnang Peurng - where the largest collection of mysterious jars was found tucked into ledges on cliff sides 10 years ago. On foot this 15 minute journey would take four gruelling days. Dr. Beavan has led the research into the jars for almost ten years. Today she and her team are making perhaps their last trip to see the jars before their funding grant runs out next year. After touching down in a clearing in the forest, the team hikes the rest of the way on foot, cutting through the undergrowth as they climb to over 600 metres (1968 feet) above sea level. Clambering over rocks they arrive at the Phnom Khnang Peurng site on a small rock ledge high above the jungle canopy. The site contains over forty ancient ceramic jars containing the remains of between one to three individuals. The long necks of each jar have been removed to allow the skulls to fit through the gap. Researchers believe that the highland people used a practice called 'secondary burial', where bodies were first "defleshed" before being gathered up and placed in the jars ahead of a farewell ceremony to release the soul. The research team first arrived here in 2003. Among the bones they also found simple glass coloured beads and iron rings - hinting at the lives of the people whose remains were interred here. "When we first arrived here most of the ceramics were broken because the ceiling had collapsed on top of them. We spent two weeks up here to reconstruct the jars and when we were done we kept them here in the same place, in a good condition. After restoring the jars we decided that we wouldn't bring anything away from the site," says ceramics expert, Tep Sokha. It's believed that the jars contain the remains of a highland minority who were persecuted by the lowland Khmers and considered a slave class. This could help explain the hidden locations of the jars. In line with local practices, peace is made with the dead with Buddhist offerings and prayers. Dr. Beavan, an expert in radiocarbon dating based in New Zealand, has been studying the jars since around 2004. "This is one of the best examples of the jar burial tradition of the Cardamom Mountains. Here at Phnom Khnang Peurng there are over forty of these intact burial jars with up to 152 individuals." Beaven says the collection of bodies have been dated to between 1440 and 1465 AD, which means this massive gravesite was put in place within 15 to 45 years. Research has revealed that most of the jars were made in Thai kilns and are similar to those found in a 15th century shipwreck found 20 km (12 miles) off Koh Kong, 100 km (62 miles) to the south. Tep Sokha, who is now based in Koh Kong, says that the jars from the shipwreck prove an interesting connection between the highland peoples and international traders from Thailand and beyond. The shipwreck was salvaged by a Russian team who hauled up the jars broken into many pieces. Sokha spent years patiently gluing them back together piece by piece. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...