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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Moulin alignments, also known as Cojoux alignments, are a megalithic ensemble located in Saint-Just, Ille-et-Vilaine. Composed of three alignments (A, B and C), they are oriented along solstial axes, with two broad east-west alignments and a third perpendicular. Their arrangement suggests a symbolic organization linked to solar cycles, typical of neolithic constructions.

The excavations carried out between 1978 and 1981 under the direction of Charles-Tanguy Le Roux revealed complex structures. Alignment B, 270 metres long, includes thirteen menhirs of various sizes, some of which reach 5 metres high. Traces of fireplaces dated from 4570 B.C. to 4370 B.C. were found, as well as pits indicating a two-phase construction. The shorter line C (120 meters) houses bronze age tombs, revealing a funeral reuse of the site.

The archaeological material collected attests to an occupation over several millennia. The artifacts include flint arrow frames, polished axes, and neolithic ceramics, including a bowl decorated with pastilles and punches. Four campaniform vases and a funeral urn dated between 2780 and 2180 BC confirm the ritual importance of the site. Menhirs, in quartzite, red and blue schist, reflect a geological diversity exploited by builders.

Ranked historical monuments by decree of 10 July 1978, the alignments of Cojoux illustrate the ingenuity of neolithic societies in the development of sacred landscapes. Their study, documented by archaeologists such as Jacques Briard and Charles-Tanguy Le Roux, offers valuable insight into the cultural and spiritual practices of prehistoric Brittany.

Alignment A, the smallest (25 metres), is distinguished by its five blocks of white quartzite, while alignments B and C reveal a variety of construction techniques, such as calving pits and stony platforms. The presence of tombs of the Bronze Age near alignment C highlights the continuity of use of the site far beyond the Neolithic.

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