Stone Jars of Assam: Research History, Current Knowledge, and Future Challenges in Interpretation and Conservation

Nisha Rani Das

Majuli University of Culture, India; nisha89das@gmail.com

The stone jar monuments represent a significant megalithic tradition spanning Northeast India and Southeast Asia. While early scholarship linked these sites to mortuary practices, contemporary research in Dima Hasao faces unresolved questions regarding chronology and social context. In contrast, advanced studies at the Plain of Jars in Laos have successfully utilised radiocarbon and U-Pb zircon dating. This paper provides a critical review of Assam’s stone jar research, identifying challenges such as the lack of absolute dating and heritage management threats. By comparing regional methodological advances, it proposes an interdisciplinary framework – including geochemical sourcing and non-invasive surveys – to safeguard and understand this vulnerable archaeological heritage within the wider Southeast Asian landscape.