Stone-lined graveyard

Japanese: 配石墓 - はいせきぼ

A grave in which natural stones or partially processed stones that can be carried by one person are placed around the remains or on top of the pit. A group of such graves is also sometimes called a stone-lined grave, and the rows of stones and paving stones are collectively called stone-lined ruins. In Japan, with the exception of stone-lined graves in which stones are placed at the four corners of the pit, which are seen in the Yayoi period in western Japan, this is a burial system characteristic of the Jomon period. A typical stone-lined grave has stones densely placed in a circle or square shape of 1 to 2 meters on top of the pit, and sometimes standing stones are placed in the center or at the four corners. However, there are many that do not have a pit below the stones, or are shallow or small, requiring special burial methods.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

1人で運べる程度の自然石，ないし一部を加工した石などを遺骸の周囲や墓壙の上に配する墓。また，このような墓の集合体も配石墓と称することがあり，列石や敷石を含めて配石遺構と総称する。日本では，西日本の弥生時代にみられる墓壙内の四隅に石を配する配石墓例を除き，縄文時代に特徴的な墓制である。代表的な配石墓は，墓壙の上部に1～2mの円形ないし方形に石を密集して配し，ときには中心や四隅に立石を置く。ただし，配石下の墓壙がないものや，浅くまたは小さいために特殊な埋葬法を想定せざるをえないものも多くある。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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