In studies of wooden chamber tombs with stone mounds, the examination of the burial mound has remained at a basic and priliminary stage. However, data concerning burial mound size and shape have continued to increase as a result of surveys on tomb distributions and small-scaled excavations. In addition, the development of surveying technologies has made it possible to produce more precise drawings. This study attempts an overall review of the burial mounds of wooden chamber tombs with stone mounds, according to recent trends and situations.
Based on the study, it was confirmed that the burial mounds of wooden chamber tombs with stone mounds were basically oval-shaped and built according to strict principles of design that were based on an accurate understanding of the concept of an oval, as well as how to draw it. Oval-shaped mounds were built throughout the entire period that wooden chamber tombs with stone mounds were in use but the principles of design were differently applied – for example, the focal point could differ depending on the size of the mound. In addition, the original design could be modified and the shape of the mound changed slightly according to the scope of the burial site or spatial limitations. In designing the burial mound, the length of the long axis was established first, and the length of the short axis was naturally determined according to the location of the focal point. Therefore, the ratio of the burial mounds of wooden chamber tombs with stone chambers appears to have been consistent regardless of temporal change.