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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The covered road of the hill 197, also called dolmen de la Crête or dolmen de l'Artoir, is a megalithic monument located in Vautorte, in the department of Mayenne (region Pays de la Loire). This site, mentioned in 1893 by F. Faucon under the name "dolmen de l'Artoir", is distinguished by its construction on a ridge of Armo Rican sandstone covered with loess. Although classified as a covered gangway, the hypothesis of a corridor dolmen with side entrance is not entirely excluded. Oriented east-west, it is nearly 12 metres long and includes a rectangular sepulchral chamber extended by a terminal cell.

In 1984, Roger Bouillon conducted archaeological excavations on the site, revealing some 40 coarse ceramic coats (round or flat, undecorated bottoms), lithic tools (2 scrapers, 2 fragments of retouched blade) and two biconic perforation beads. These artifacts suggest funeral and domestic use during an ancient period, probably Neolithic. The monument was classified as historical monuments by order of 8 August 1990, emphasizing its heritage importance.

The location of the site, in the Mayenne forest, and its architectural structure make it a rare testimony to the sepulchral practices and megalithic construction techniques of the region. The objects discovered, though modest, offer valuable clues about the lifestyles and rituals of the local populations of the time. Today, the site remains a subject of study for archaeologists and a place of interest for prehistory enthusiasts.

The regional context from Mayenne to Neolithic was marked by a gradual sedentarization of populations, an emerging agriculture and the emergence of collective structures such as the covered alleys. These monuments served both as burial sites and as territorial markers, reflecting an increasingly complex social organization. The lithic and ceramic tools found on the Vautorte site illustrate the craft skills and cultural exchanges of the period.

The covered lane of the 197 is part of a wider network of megalithic sites in the Pays de la Loire, reflecting a dense and organized human occupation. It was ranked in 1990 to preserve this fragile heritage, while providing researchers with a legal framework to continue their investigations. Despite its partially degraded state, the site retains a major scientific and historical value for the understanding of megalithism in France.

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