Dolmen

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/dolmen

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the architectural classification?Single-chamber megalithic tomb, often termed a portal tomb
2. What is the primary chronological horizon?Late Neolithic period (circa 4000-3000 BCE), with regional variations
3. How were dolmens built?People cut the stones from a quarry, carried them to the site, and used ramps, levers, and rollers to lift them into place. They carefully fit the stones together, sometimes using smaller stones to level the top.
4. Why did people build dolmens?Dolmens were built as tombs for groups of people. They helped the community remember their ancestors and show respect for those who had died.

Orthostat: A large, upright stone used in the construction of ancient monuments, such as dolmens.
Megalithic Architecture: The use of large stones to construct buildings or monuments, characteristic of prehistoric periods.
Funerary Practices: The customs and rituals associated with the treatment and disposal of the dead.