A prehistoric tomb consisting of upright stones supporting a capstone is called what?

Study for the Briar Jones Architecture Appreciation Exam 2. Use our quiz to practice multiple choice questions with hints and explanations. Get ready to ace your exam!

Multiple Choice

A prehistoric tomb consisting of upright stones supporting a capstone is called what?

Explanation:
Dolmen describes a tomb built with upright stones supporting a heavy capstone, forming a chamber that was often buried under earth or a mound. The vertical stones create a stable enclosure, and the capstone serves as the roof, making it a distinct megalithic tomb type. This setup is different from a single standing stone (menhir) and from broader terms like the Neolithic period or frame-trabeated construction, which describe timeframes or building methods rather than the tomb itself. So the prehistoric tomb of upright stones with a capstone is a dolmen.

Dolmen describes a tomb built with upright stones supporting a heavy capstone, forming a chamber that was often buried under earth or a mound. The vertical stones create a stable enclosure, and the capstone serves as the roof, making it a distinct megalithic tomb type. This setup is different from a single standing stone (menhir) and from broader terms like the Neolithic period or frame-trabeated construction, which describe timeframes or building methods rather than the tomb itself. So the prehistoric tomb of upright stones with a capstone is a dolmen.

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