page_title: Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa Dolmen Sites
section_title: Ganghwa Dolmen Sites
hierarchical_section_title: Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa Dolmen Sites / Description / Ganghwa Dolmen Sites
caption_attribution_description: English: Example of a southern-style dolmen at Ganghwa Island
context_page_description: The Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa Dolmen Sites are the location of hundreds of stone dolmens which were used as grave markers, and for ritual purposes during the first millennium BCE when the Megalithic Culture was prominent on the Korean Peninsula. The sites were designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2000. Korea is said to contain more than 40% of the world's dolmen, which are mostly concentrated in these three sites.
  The megalithic stones are invaluable because they mark the graves of the ruling elite. Pottery, comma-shaped jewels, bronzes, stone tools, and other funerary artifacts have been excavated from these dolmen. The culture of the people during this time can be gleaned from the evidence left by the dolmen. Additionally, it can be induced from the stones how the stone was quarried, transported, and used to build the dolmen.
  Dolmen in Korea have been dated to the seventh century BCE in locations such as Gochang and the practice ended around the third century BCE. The dolmen culture is linked with the Neolithic and bronze cultures of Korea.
  Excavation at the sites did not begin until 1965.
context_section_description: These dolmens are located on Ganghwa Island, Ganghwa County, Incheon. They are situated on the slopes of mountains and are thus higher in elevation than their counterparts. These dolmens are believed to be the earliest ones made because the dolmen groups in Bugeun-ri (부근리, in Hajeom-myeon) and Gocheon-ri (고천리, in Naega-myeon) resemble the early dolmens. However, this has not been conclusively proved.
  Ganghwa Island is a place rich in mountains and water and early ruling groups were formed to make dolmen. Also, there are about 150 dolmens in abundance, which is good for making dolmen. The distribution map of the dolmen shows that the dolmens were closely related to fishing in the Bronze Age, although they are now separated from the sea.
  A notable dolmen at Ganghwa is a northern/table-type dolmen, where it was believed that ancestral rites were performed. It is the biggest stone in South Korea with measures of 2.6 × 7.1 × 5.5 meters, but it only has two supporting stones. Combined, the supporting stones and the capstone weigh between 150 and 225 tons.
  It was designated as Historic Site No. 137 as one of the representative tombs of the Bronze Age. A large stone measuring 710 cm long, 260 cm high, and 550 cm wide was used, and the shape of the stone is a northern type of dolmen, making it a good source of research on ancient history. The Ganghwa Dolmen site was registered as a World Heritage Site along with Gochang and Hwasun at the 24th UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Cairns, Australia on November 29, 2000.
caption: An example of a go-board/southern-type dolmen on Ganghwa Island
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