gochang, hwasun and ganghwa
states: [korea]
category: cultural
year: 2000
location: Gochang-gun County, Jeollabuk-do Province; Hwasun-gun County, Jeollanam-do Province; Ganghwa-gun County, Incheon Metropolitan City
region: Asia and the Pacific
latitude/longitude: 34.9666700000, 126.9291700000
visited: 2018
The Gochang, Hwasun, and Ganghwa Dolmen Sites, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000, represent an exceptional collection of prehistoric megalithic tombs from the first millennium BCE. These sites showcase hundreds of dolmens—stone structures used as grave markers and for rituals—highlighting the advanced stonework and societal organization of the Bronze Age Megalithic Culture on the Korean Peninsula. With over 35,000 dolmens, Korea holds nearly 40% of the world’s total, and these locations preserve vital evidence of ancient quarrying, transportation, and construction techniques. The dolmens, varying in style and size, offer a unique glimpse into the funerary practices and cultural exchanges of Northeast Asia’s prehistoric elite.
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