A
chamber tomb is a
tomb for
burial used in many different
cultures. In the case of individual burials, the chamber is thought to signify a higher status for the interree than a simple
grave. Built from
rock or sometimes
wood, the chambers could also serve as places for storage of the dead from one family or social group and were often used over long periods for multiple burials. There are numerous terms for them depending on the period, design and region in question. Most were constructed from large stones or
megaliths and covered by
cairns,
barrows or earth, but the term is also applied to tombs cut directly into rock and wooden-chambered tombs covered with earth barrows.
Grave goods are a common characteristic of chamber tomb burials.