Long dolmen on Renevejen

Discover a rare long dolmen with 2 dolmen chambers and 2 passage graves from the Stone Age. The 28.5 metre long dolmen tells one of Langeland's hidden stories.

Large Neolithic stone grave

This large stone grave from the Neolithic period contains 2 chambers of a passage grave (built between 3250-3100 BC) and 2 older dolmen chambers (3500-3200 BC). Today the entire long dolmen measures 28.5 x 10 metres. Occasionally several dolmen chambers are built together in a long dolmen, but it is rare to see passage graves in the same mound.

Originally the long dolmen was up to 35 meters long, but the dolmen has been badly damaged by ploughing, excavation and stone looting. The National Museum of Denmark’s survey from 1875 already described how much had been removed, especially from the northern end of the dolmen.

The two dolmen chambers

The chambers are located in the centre, one of which has an impressive capstone. Unlike passage chambers, dolmen chambers do not have a corridor that reaches down to the kerb stones.
Whether dolmens were covered with earth or uncovered, as here, is still a matter of debate in archaeology, and it is likely that both covered and uncovered dolmens were built.

The two passage graves

The passage graves are located at either end of the long dolmen. They both have a large polygonal chamber covered by several capstones and a passage to the edge of the long dolmen.
The passage graves were always covered by an earth mound, as can be seen in the restored passage grave at Hulbjerg, south of Bagenkop.