Gaun-dong Dolmen

Dolmens are the characteristic tombs of the Bronze Age, generally understood to be the burials of a ruling class who held economic wealth or political power. They have a structure in which a huge capstone is exposed above ground, beneath which lie supporting stones, a burial precinct and a burial chamber. Dolmens are generally classified into the table type, in which the burial chamber sits above ground, and the go-board type, in which it lies underground. The Gaun-dong Dolmen stands on the slope of a low hill, 80 metres above sea level, to the east of the point where the Wangsukcheon Stream joins the Hangang River. Several dolmens are known to have originally stood here, but they were lost as local residents used the stone from them to build houses, and the surviving dolmen is itself said to have been damaged and reduced in size from its original dimensions. Only the capstone is exposed above ground; it measures 3.1 m long and 1.48 m wide, with a trapezoidal outline. Its long axis runs north–south, roughly matching the direction in which the Hangang River flows. Two small supporting stones are said to be placed beneath the capstone, suggesting a go-board-type dolmen, but since no excavation has been carried out, the exact structure beneath it is difficult to determine.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Namyangju, Gyeonggi

Designation

Cultural Heritage Material · 문화유산자료