Izingosi zezimbiza ze-megalithic zaseLaos, ezivame ukubizwa ngokuthi iThafa Lezitsha, zihlala zingamasiko amivubukulo angaqondakali futhi angaqondwa kangako eNingizimu-mpumalanga ye-Asia. Le ndawo enkulukazi, ehlanganisa amakhilomitha-skwele angaphezu kuka-2,000, igcwele izinkulungwane zezimbiza zamatshe ezinkulu, ezinye zinesisindo esingamathani ayishumi nane. Naphezu kwamashumi eminyaka okucwaninga, abavubukuli basadidekile ngokuthi ubani owabeka lapho, futhi kungani. Ingabe le bekuyindawo yokungcwaba, noma yayisetshenziselwa uhlobo oluthile lwezinjongo zesiko?
Ngokufanayo ne-Stonehenge eNgilandi, umsuka weThafa Lezimbiza usalokhu ufihliwe. Iningi lalezi zindawo litholakala esiFundazweni sase-Xieng Khouang, kanti ngenkathi ngokuhlangene zibizwa ngokuthi 'Ithafa Lezitsha', lezi zindawo zitholakala kakhulu ezingomeni zezintaba, ezingosini zezihlalo, noma emithambekeni yamagquma ezungeze ithafa elimaphakathi nezigodi ezikhuphukayo.
Eqoshwe ngetshe futhi anomumo oyisilinda, izimbiza ezingahlotshisiwe kakhulu - eyodwa kuphela ene-"frogman" eqoshwe ngaphandle kwayo - iyahlukahluka ngokwakheka nosayizi, nakuba iningi labo lakhiwe nge-sandstone. Ezinye izinto ezisetshenziswayo zifaka i-breccia, i-conglomerate, i-granite, ne-limestone. Izimbiza zisukela kumitha eyodwa kuye kwamathathu ubude.
Kuncane okwaziwayo ngabantu abaqopha lezi zitsha ezinkulu, futhi izimbiza ngokwazo azibonisi lutho ngemvelaphi yazo noma injongo yazo. Ngokusho kwenganekwane yendawo yaseLao, izimbiza zidalwe umjaho weziqhwaga ngemuva kokuwina ukunqoba okukhulu empini. Iziqhwaga zasebenzisa izimbiza ukwenza nokugcina i-lau hai, ehunyushwa kalula nje ngokuthi 'iwayini elayisi' noma 'ubhiya werayisi.'
Izimbiza ezimise okwe-cylindrical zinezindebe zomlomo ukuze zisekele isivalo, futhi zisukela kwelinye ukuya kumamitha angaphezu kwamathathu ubude, zinesisindo esingamathani ayi-14. Izibonelo ezimbalwa kakhulu zezivalo zamatshe eziye zabhalwa, okubonisa ukuthi izimbiza cishe zazimbozwe ngezinto ezibolayo.
Ngemva kwamashumi eminyaka okuqagela nokucwaninga, ithimba eliholwa abacwaningi ababili base-Australia kanye nomcwaningi waseLaotian liye labhala usuku lwalezi zimbiza. Lisebenzisa ubuchwepheshe bokuthandana nezinsalela ezaziwa ngokuthi i-Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL), ithimba lahlola inhlabathi yezimbiza ezingaphansi ezindaweni ezihlukene eziyi-120, lathola ukuthi zakhiwe esikhathini esithile phakathi kuka-1240 no-660 BCE.
Umsebenzi wezimbiza kusaphikiswana ngakho, abanye abavubukuli basikisela ukuthi kwakuyimikhumbi yezidumbu zangaphambi komlando, okubonakala ngokutholakala kwezinsalela zabantu, izimpahla zokungcwaba, nezitsha zobumba ezizungeze izimbiza.
Abanye ochwepheshe bathi umzamo odingekayo wokwenza izimbiza eziningi kangaka usikisela ukuthi zaziklanyelwe ukudonsa amanzi emvula ngesikhathi sezimvula ezinkulu futhi kamuva ziwabilise ukuze zisetshenziswe umahamba-nendlwana odlula esifundeni.
Enye inkolelo-mbono iphakamisa ukuthi izimbiza zazisetshenziswa njengemikhumbi yokugaya, lapho isidumbu sasifakwa ngaphakathi futhi sishiywe ukuze sibole, esasizosuswa ukuze kuvunyelwe ukushiswa noma ukungcwatshwa kabusha kwezinsalela zamathambo.
Emingcwabeni yangaleso sikhathi elandelwa ubukhosi baseThailand, baseCambodia, naseLaotian, isidumbu somufi sifakwa emshinini wokwenza umngcwabo lapho kusaqalwa umngcwabo, okukholelwa ukuthi umphefumulo kamufi uyashintsha kancane kancane usuka emhlabeni. emhlabeni kamoya. Ukubola okuyisiko kamuva kulandelwa ukushiswa kwesidumbu kanye nokungcwatshwa kwesibili.
Abacwaningi bathole namadiski aqoshwe kahle anemifanekiso yejiyomethri yendilinga egxilile, imifanekiso yabantu, nezilwane, zonke ezatholwa zigqitshwe izinhlangothi zazo ezihlotshisiwe zibheke phansi. Abanye abacwaningi bathi mhlawumbe bayizimpawu zokungcwaba.
Ucwaningo lwashicilelwa okokuqala kujenali PLOS One. Mashi 10, 2021.
