One Irish example is Drombeg Stone Circle, in West Cork in Ireland. Some have a hole in the center and are thought to have been used in marriage ceremonies, with the bride and groom standing on either side of the stone, while joining hands through the hole in the center.Ī cromlech is another term worth noting. They are often referred to as ogham stones in Ireland. It is one of Europe’s biggest recorded megalithic structures. Another name for a dolmen is a cromlech which comes from the Irish word cromleac meaning dolmen.Ī menhir, by contrast, is a single standing stone. Dolmen of Menga (Antequera, Málaga, Spain) 3,750 BCE The Dolmen of Menga is a tumulus, or long barrow, type of megalithic burial mound. The most famous cairn may be that of Queen Maeve of Connacht on top of Knocknarea in County Sligo.Ī portal dolmen is one where two stone form an entrance to the tomb. Another name for this covering is a barrow. The oldest proven examples are from the Middle east, suggesting that the design reached Europe from there. You may also have heard the term cairn, which is a dry stone encasement or surrounding that covers one or more burial chambers. Dolmen have been found all around the ancient world - in the America's, Europe, the Middle-east (Syria), In Africa (Algeria) (9), and even in Asia (India, China) (1), (Korea), (Japan) (9). I will be presenting a power point slide show of my latest discoveries, signing copies of my second book about Dolmens in Montana and answering questions. Over the centuries these earthen coverings have weathered away, revealing their spectacular stone "skeletons."ĭolmen structures were built as burial tombs. When first built dolmens were typically covered with earth or smaller stones to form a tumulus. Dolmens are also present in the Middle East, North Africa, Asia, and especially large numbers exist in Korea, with examples there dating to c. 4.82/5 (1,482 votes) An Irish dolmen of rare beauty, located in the heart of the Burren region. These stone uprights hold the upper stone or capstone, which can weigh many tonnes. Vertical stones usually support a massive flat capstone making the structure resemble a table. Dolmens are single-chamber megalithic tombs.
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