Hintang Archaeological Landscape

Hintang is an archaeological site in Houaphan province in north-eastern Laos. It groups together many megaliths, including 1 546 menhirs, and is also known as Hin Tang or the Houaphan menhirs. The site extends across 72 distinct locations over about ten kilometres along an isolated ridge in the jungle.

The ridge is described as difficult to access. At the separate locations, standing stones are accompanied by 153 stone discs and underground chambers. A menhir, also called a standing stone, orthostat or lith, is a large upright stone placed by humans. Such stones stand singly or in groups, vary greatly in size, and often taper toward the top.

The elements of the site date to the Bronze Age. The dating given for the site runs from 2000 BCE to 700 CE and is based on a typological estimate. In 2010, the site was listed among the endangered buildings of the World Monuments Fund.

Menhirs are found across Europe, Africa and Asia, with a concentration in Western Europe, notably in Ireland, Great Britain and Brittany. Theories about their purpose remain speculative and include rituals, territorial markers and elements of an ideological system. Some bear engravings, including human figures and symbols, and are often associated with ancient religious ceremonies and burial chambers.

Hintang is a menhir (standing stone) in Laos. Wikidata describes it as: archaeological site in Laos. A typological estimate: 2000 BCE to 700 CE. No English Wikipedia article exists for it; the full text below is the French article "Hintang", shown in the original language.