Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The covered driveway of Kerantiec, located in Riec-sur-Belon in Finistère, is a megalithic monument dating from the Neolithic. This type of construction, rare, is distinguished by an arc-buttoned structure where the steeply inclined southern pillars lean on near vertical northern pillars. The funerary chamber, 9.50 metres long and barely 1 metre wide, was covered with local granite slabs, with the exception of a pillar in eyelined gneiss. The entrance, oriented to the east, led to a reduced space, optimized by a saving of materials.

The monument was first identified in June 1947 by archaeologists Pierre-Roland Giot and J. Cogné. Ranked as historical monuments on December 16, 1953, it illustrates neolithic funeral practices in Brittany. Its architecture, with slabs up to 2 meters high, reflects a notable technical mastery. The rocks used, mainly from Moëllan granite, come from local quarries, highlighting the territorial anchoring of its construction.

Kerantiec covered road is part of a set of similar megalithic sites in the south and Morbihan. Its state of conservation, though partial (some pillars having tipped), allows us to study the construction techniques and funeral rituals of the time. The bedside slab, always vertical, and the east-west orientation add to its archaeological interest. This monument bears witness to the social organization and beliefs of the Breton Neolithic communities, where collective burials played a central role.

External links