A Study on the Socio-Economic Background of the Construction of Dolmens in Ganghwa

Research on Ganghwa Island's dolmen sites reveals that the distribution of large table-shaped stone tombs reflects socio-economic disparities among local communities, with strategically advantageous settlements—like the Samgeo watershed—exhibiting greater labor resources and economic stability. These areas, characterized by fertile land and reliable water access, likely allowed elite leaders to consolidate political power and construct boundary-marker dolmens along ridges and routes. The study used GIS-based fuzzy overlay analysis to correlate dolmen distribution with settlement suitability, suggesting that regional economic dominance enabled the construction of monumental tombs like those near Bujeongri, a UNESCO-listed site.

Kang, D. (2020). A Study on the Socio-Economic Background of the Construction of Dolmens in Ganghwa. The Korean Archaeological Society, 116, 39–65. https://doi.org/10.47439/jkras.2020.116.039