![]() ![]() Gochang on the other hand, was quite a pleasant surprise! To get to the dolmen site, you first have to get to Gochang city (by bus is easier), and then take a bus to the “goindol” site (the Korean word for dolmens). ![]() For its credit however, the single dolmen I got to see in the Ganghwa site was the largest and most impressive one of all. Given that rental cars were about 70 USD a day, in my opinion, it is simply not worth it. In addition, the dolmens in this area are kilometers from each other, meaning you will have to walk for a long time, spend a bunch of money on taxis (if any), or drive from one dolmen to the other. Even taxis, which were kind of expensive given the distances, were not frequent. It takes well over 2.5 hours from Seoul and once in the island (connected by bridges), public transportation is very scarce. Getting to Ganghwa using public transportation is a complete nightmare. If you are a lifetime resident of South Korea and have done pretty much everything else, and own a car, knock yourself out. I have been to the dolmen sites in Ganghwa and Gochang and let me be frank, Ganghwa is not worth the trouble at all. It doesn’t seem to make logical sense to care about someone who no longer contributes to the survival of our species, but alas, we are the only ones fascinated and influenced by our ancestral history. Maybe I am going out on a limb here as this is solely my perspective, but I feel that the existence of dolmen sites, especially in large amounts, are essential proof of homo-sapiens’s big leap forward beyond all other members of the animal kingdom. Although we are thought of as a social species, burying one’s dead and marking the spot of burial is a higher form of thinking unique to our species. These are called “coffin” style.ĭolmen sites usually date from 7000-4000 years ago, squarely in the stone age of humanity. Some, not gonna lie, just look like rocks. It is what they represent that is important. Take it from me, no one was marveling over these ancient people’s engineering genius. However, the architecture itself is not what makes dolmens special. Think of the style of architecture of Stonehenge and you have a pretty good idea of what a dolmen looks like. It was my last WHS on my Korea list and I must admit that I felt a little embarrassed for not knowing what it was.ĭolmens are a Neolithic style of burial site built out of stones, usually in the shape of a table. The article I stumbled upon went on and on talking about how the Korean peninsula alone has about 40% of the world’s dolmen sites. It is the same question I thought to myself when I looked up the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Korea last year. I know what you are thinking… what the heck is a dolmen? Location: Gochang, Hwasun, and Ganghwa, South Korea (3 locations) ![]()
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