Dolmen

A dolmen is a megalithic burial chamber from the Neolithic (4000-3000 BC) that consists of at least three, but often (many) more standing supporting stones, covered by one or more casing stones.

According to current theory, dolmens are remains of prehistoric burial chambers. However, they are not to be regarded as tombs in the ordinary sense, but rather as charnel houses. It cannot be said with certainty that grave signaling was the original function of all these structures. There are dolmens that are suspected to have served only as shrines.

In the Netherlands they are mainly found in Drenthe, often on the Hondsrug. They were built between 3350 and 3050 BC, in the westernmost reaches of the Funnelbeaker culture territory. A total of 52 dolmens have been preserved there in the Netherlands. There are hundreds more in Germany and Denmark.