1.Definition of Dolmen

The dolmen is one of the megalithic monuments built by a huge stone (rock) and is the grave of prehistory covered with a large stone over the stone chamber where the corpse was buried on the ground or basement.

 It is a kind of megalithic culture with menhir, alignement, stone circlea and stone chamber.

The dolmen in Japan was called Jiseokmyo.  In China, it was called Seokbung (stone roof), which means the house built by stone with the term of 'grave covered with a large stone'.  In other regions, the dolmen or stone building were named 'the megalith'.

2.Origin of Dolmen

The origin of the dolmen has three theories.  Namely it was originated in the northern region, the southern region and abiogenesis.  

The origin of the northern region was that the dolmens in Korea were transmitted from the north with the other culture of the Bronze Age.  It is considered that as the dolmen, a representative bronze cultural relic, was developed from the stone coffin tomb of the north region (Yonyung in China) and the stone tomb cover was greater, it became a covered stone dolmen and as the grave was built on the ground, it became the northern type dolmen.

The origin of the southern region was that on the ground the dolmen was transmitted from southeast Asia across the sea.  Other cultures were transmitted in Korea before and after the Bronze Age with rice farming and it is from this viewpoint that dolmens were distributed in Pyeongando, Hwanghaedo and Jeollado along the west coast in Korea and the region of Nansaeng's story.  The distributed region of the dolmens which were the factors of the southern culture were the same.  

Abiogenesis argues that dolmens in Korea were spontaneous and not erected by the influence from neighboring regions because Dolmens were concentrated in Korea with a variety of types earlier than other dolmens.

3.Formation of Dolmen

The period when dolmens were erected was assumed from the relics found in the dolmen site.  It was assumed that it was erected first in the New Stone Age or the Bronze Age.  The former was based on the chipped stone tools and striped pattern earthenware found around the dolmens.  The latter has three arguments; the late of the 2nd C. B.C., early or mid of the 1st C. B.C.
In general, it is assumed that dolmens in Korea were erected about 3 thousand years ago.

4.Functions

First, the dolmen has the function of a tomb.

It was assumed that dolmens were distributed in groups or  man's bones were excavated there.

Second, it has the function of an altar.

Society with dolmens required a symbolic monument to strengthen cooperation and solidarity of groups.  So the dolmen with the meaning of altar indicating a border with other groups was erected.

Third, it has the function of a monument symbolizing a grave.

It is to show off the authority and dignity of a group making a grave or to merely indicate the tomb site.