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Origin and history

The Dolmen du Pouyol, also known as the Dolmen de la Croix Ferrée, is a megalithic building located in Eybouleuf, Haute-Vienne department. This monument, dated from the Middle Neolithic, was first mentioned in 1821. It was classified as a historical monument on 20 March 1978, after being the subject of rescue searches and restoration in the early 1980s.

The dolmen structure consists of granite slabs, with a almond-shaped cover table measuring 3.20 m long by 2.50 m wide. Originally, this table was based on three supports, and the inner chamber was piriform. The excavations revealed traces of missing pillars to the north and a possible access structure to the east, suggesting a corridor that has now disappeared. The discovered archaeological material, including polished axes, daggers, arrow frames and trimming elements, was attributed to the Middle Neolithic, with a reoccupation to the Final Neolithic.

According to a local legend, the stones of the dolmen were lost by the Virgin during their transport to build the bell tower of Saint-Léonard. This folk anecdote adds a mythical dimension to this historic site, while emphasizing its cultural importance in the region.

The excavations carried out before the restoration in 1983 made it possible to date precisely the dolmen of the Middle Neolithic. Architectural elements, such as calving stones and the orthostate discovered to the east, indicate a complex structure, probably used as a collective burial. The objects found, such as green rock pendants and ceramics, confirm its prolonged use over several periods of Neolithic.

Today, the Dolmen du Pouyol is protected and classified as a historical monument. It is a valuable testimony to the funeral and architectural practices of Neolithic societies in Limousin. Its location in Eybouleuf, in a preserved rural setting, makes it a notable archaeological and tourist site of the Haute-Vienne.

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