Directly on the other side of the dike from the megalithic tomb Merelmerskhoog (aka Archsum 1) are the two giant beds Archsum 2 and Archsum 3 directly on the coast in the Wadden Sea. Both graves are badly affected by their location, as they have been exposed to ebb and flow every day for thousands of years. Of the two graves Archsum 3 is better preserved and its structure can be seen more clearly.
Archsum 3 is an extended dolmen in a giant bed. It lies only 20 m northwest of Archsum 2. According to Wikipedia the tomb was examined by Gottfried Schäfer in 1963. He found two chambers in the five to six meter wide giant bed. The western chamber was formed by three supporting stones on the southern long side and two on the northern long side. On the eastern and western narrow sides, there was a relatively flat erratic boulder. A floor covering made of stone tiles was only preserved in a few places. The eastern chamber is formed by two supporting stones on the southern long side and one on the northern long side. A boulder was set up on the eastern and western narrow sides.
To get to the tomb, turn shortly before leaving the village in the direction of Keitum from the Dorfstrasse in Archsum south into Uaster Reeg. Then turn right into Weesterstich and after 250 m turn left into Deichweg. Follow this road south-west for 1.6 km, there is a parking lot immediately in front of the Nössedeich (Deich means dike). Follow the directions to the tomb Merelmerskhoog (aka Archsum 1) and cross the dike at the tomb or walk directly over the dike at the parking lot towards Kolkingehoog (aka Archsum 4) and follow the coastal path in a north-west direction for about 900 m. Archsum 3 and Archsum 2 are then only a few meters from the coast in the sea. A visit at low tide is recommended.
taken from the hünen.kulTOUR information board (located at Archsum 1):
Riesenbetten 74 & 75 (Riesenbetten = Giant beds)
The megalithic tombs from the Neolithic (New Stone Age) lying in the mud flats in front of the dike bear witness to the change in the landscape over the past millennia. They were erected on the geest, which was then still unaffected by the sea. The sea level at that time was about 3 m lower than it is today. In the meantime, the stone tombs were and continue to be destroyed by ice and storm surges.
The right picture shows the stone chamber of the "Riesenbett 75" lying north in 1963, from which even the hill was partially preserved until 1922. An urn was found there. The left picture shows the stone chamber of the "Riesenbett 74".
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