1. Topography

Hwasun is located at the center of Jeollanamdo in the southwestern extremity of the Korean peninsula with a total area of 786.23§´.  It adjoins Mt. Unwol and Mt. Mohu east, Mt Balbong, Mt. Gyedang and Mt. Bongmi south, Mt. Jungbong and Mt. Jeonggwang west and the Chilgu pass, the Neorit pass and Mt. Mudeung north part.

The World Cultural Heritage, Hwasun Dolmen Group, is based on the wide plains around the Jiseok river, a branch of the Yongsan river.  This dolmen group is about 3.2mile.

2. Distribution

IIn Hwasun, about 1,323 dolmens are distributed at 160 groups; 535 dolmens at 56 groups in the basin of the Yongsan river, which occupies 40.4% of the whole dolmens in Hwasun and 419 dolmens at 46 groups in the basin of the Boseong river, which occupies 31.7%.  It is known that dolmen relics in Hwasun were formed centering around the plain area of the Yongsan and Boseong rivers.  

Dolmen groups around Chunyang- and Dogok-myeons are notable relics, which were designated as Historical Site No. 410 on Sep. 17, 1998 and registered as the World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO on Dec. 2, 2000.  There are a total of 596 dolmens including 287 dolmens at 13 guns and 309 assumed dolmens at this region.

Besides, dolmens at Daecho- and Unwol-ri, Doam-myeon, Janghak-, Wolsan- and Changnang-ri, Yiseo-myon, and Jeolsan-, Sasu- and Bokkyo-ri, Nam-myeon were examined and confirmed and dolmens were discovered at other regions.

- Refer to ¡ºCultural Relics in Hwasun-gun (1999, Hwasun-gun, Chosun University Museum)¡»