ORIGIN AND TRANSPORTATION ROUTE OF CAP-STONES OF ICHEON DOLMEN SITES, SOUTH KOREA

Dolmen as remains of ancient cultural heritages were studied to predict their origin and transportation route by utilizing fundamental knowledges of natural sciences, including geological, geomorphological and hydrological characteristics. The aim of this study is to scientifically investigate distribution pattern of Dolmen site, and reconstructing transportation route of Dolmen. The study is restricted to Dolmen site of Icheon City, Korea. Remote sensing(RS) and geographic information system(GIS) were employed to achieve the goal of research. For the purpose of tracing Origin of Icheon Dolmen and transportation route, GIS technology together with the lowest cost-path analysis, were employed. ESRI corp., ArcView 3.2 and Spatial Analysis 2.0a were main modules for GIS analysis. As a result of DEM analysis, the average gradient and altitude of Icheon Dolmen sites were 10.2 degrees and 105.4m, respectively. RS images were analyzed by image compression technique and the image composition technique. The dimension of cap-stones were compared with that of naturally produced stones derived from basement rocks around Chiseokri, and those of cap-stones of dolmen sites were measured statistically and plotted onto a rectangular gravel-shape diagram of Zingg's. As result, it is generally supported that the dimension stones separated from basement rock is generally very similar to the cap-stones of Dolmen sites. In conclusion the Integration of all knowledge, including the distribution pattern of stone-wash deposits distributed along the hillslope of possible provenance, the geographical position, the distance from permanent river water and the distribution of altitude of various Dolmen sites, has led to interpretation that the most reliable place for stone quarry, related to Dolmen, is presumed to be Chiseokri in Sindun-myon, Icheon City and possible settlement sites inhabited by Dolmen people were examined based on the extrapolating techniques of common geographical and geological features.