Dolmens are found worldwide—from Japan and Australia to Indonesia, Denmark, Malta, and both the Americas. South Korea has about 19,000–20,000, many in Jeolla, and hosts the world's largest concentration. The Korean Peninsula has an estimated 40,000 in total—a figure that already includes South Korea—and represents roughly 40% of the global total. Historical records document North Korean examples too. UNESCO's Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa sites preserve many hundreds of dolmens built as tombs in the first millennium BCE. 🗿
South Korea: ~19,000 Dolmens; Korean Peninsula: ~40,000
Key facts
- South Korea has roughly 19,000–20,000 dolmens, with many concentrated in the Jeolla provinces.
- The estimated 40,000-dolmen total applies to the Korean Peninsula and already includes South Korea; the two figures should not be added together.
- The peninsula-wide total represents roughly 40% of the world's dolmens and forms the largest concentration.
- UNESCO's Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa sites contain many hundreds of dolmens built as tombs in the first millennium BCE.
- Dolmens are also found in Japan, Australia, Indonesia, Denmark, Malta, and North and South America; historical records also document North Korean examples. Malta has dolmens, cart ruts and temple sites.
Sources
megalithomania.co.uk
Linked in video description
The Dolmens in Ganghwa Island - theberntravelertheberntraveler.wordpress.com
Studying the core zones of the dolmen clusters in Ganghwa island, the map indicates that there are 16 more dolmens that are part of Bugeun-ri.
UNESCO World Heritage Series: Part 1 - Dolmensasiasociety.org
Dolmen are thought to be burial sites that were built out of stone during the prehistoric era, usually in the shape of a table. These stone landmarks resemble ...
World Heritageenglish.khs.go.kr
A great majority of dolmens in Korea are clustered along the west coast areas, particularly in Jeolla provinces where some 20,000 dolmens have been identified.
Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa Dolmen Siteswhc.unesco.org
The prehistoric cemeteries at Gochang, Hwasun, and Ganghwa contain many hundreds of examples of dolmens - tombs from the 1st millennium BC constructed of ...
Dolmens Offer Rare Glimpses into the Lives of Prehistoric ...koreanheritage.kr
An estimated 40,000 dolmens were constructed here over the course of the 15,000 years from the 15th century BCE to around the start of the Common Era. Diverse ...
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