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Origin and history

The Dolmen de Bouéry, also known as Pierre-Levée or Pierre aux Fées, is a megalithic building located in the Bouéry forest in the commune of Mailhac-sur-Benaize, Haute-Vienne. This monument, dated from the Neolithic, consists of five vertical slabs (orthostats) supporting a table of almost circular and curved cover, measuring 4.65 meters in diameter for a thickness of one metre. The materials used, granite, and internal structure — with a slab height of 1.45 metres — suggest a funeral or ritual function.

The site was explored in 1845 by Abbé Leclerc, without significant archaeological discovery. Since 1935, it has belonged to the Société archéologique et historique du Limousin, which received the property by donation for the purpose of preservation. Ranked as historical monuments on February 6, 1940, the dolmen has a special feature: its table has about forty small conical holes. Although some were attributed to early 20th century shepherds, others, older, could be prehistoric cupulas.

According to a local legend, the dolmen was erected by four fairies, reflecting the folk beliefs associated with megaliths. The table, of an imposing weight and size, rests on four of the five orthostats, the largest slab measuring 2.90 meters long. The site thus illustrates both the technical know-how of Neolithic and the collective imagination associated with these remains.

Dolmen is listed in the Mérimée bases and associated with regional studies, such as those of Martial Imbert in 1910. Its location in the forest, although not precise (level 5/10 according to Monumentum), makes it an isolated but remarkable testimony of the megalithic heritage of Limousin, now integrated into the New Aquitaine region.

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