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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Menhir statues of Collorgues, also called statues-menhirs of Teste or the Mas de l'Aveugle, are part of the Languedoc group (Gardois sub-group) and are among the 42 known steles in this area. They were carved in oligocene sandstone in the final Neolithic, with typical motifs: face in "T", stylized arms, schematized breasts, and objects in the shape of a butt, interpreted as armhole axes. Their discovery reveals a subsequent re-use, one serving as a lintel in a hypogee, the other masking its entrance.

The first statue (1.75 m high) was exhumed in 1879 by M. Teste during agricultural work at the site called Mas Gaillard, on a site including hypogees and flint extraction wells. Identified as a statue-menhir by Lombard-Dumas, it features a double spiral pendant necklace (visible in razing light) and an axe under the forearms. The second statue (1.35 m), discovered in 1888 by H. Nicolas, was used as a lintel in the hypogee, its sculpted face facing the ground. The two pieces were classified as Historical Monuments in 1927 and restored in 2018. They are now on display at the Lodève Museum.

The site of Mas Gaillard was searched twice: a first exploration in 1886 by A. Lombard-Dumas, then a systematic campaign in 1888 by H. Nicolas, who discovered statues and funeral structures. These excavations revealed a rich archaeological context, linked to the extraction of flint and sepulchral practices. The statues-menhirs, by their iconography and re-use, illustrate the cultural transitions between the final Neolithic and metal ages in Occitanie.

The two works are distinguished by their Gardese style: heads open from the body, shoulders marked, and arms in arcade holding symbolic objects. Their dating and morphology relate to a network of exchanges and beliefs covering eastern Herault and the Gard. Their preservation at the Lodève Museum allows us to study the techniques of sculpture and funeral rituals of this pivotal period.

Written sources (Lombard-Dumas, Nicolas) and recent publications (Galant et al., 2023) highlight their importance in understanding regional megalithic art. Their ranking in 1927 and their restoration in 2018 testify to their heritage value, while their permanent exhibition ("Imprints of Man") makes them ambassadors of the Occitan Neolithic.

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