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Origin and history

The covered lane of Men-ar-Rumpet (also called Men-ar-Romped or Enez-Yar) is a megalithic monument located in Kerbors, in the Côtes-d-Armor, Brittany. Dated from Neolithic, this site is located at an altitude of 16 metres, close to the north coast of Brittany, on the edge of the Jaudy estuary. Its architecture, consisting of seven orthostats to the north, five to the south and four granite tables of Perros, makes it a characteristic example of the collective burials of this period. An additional slab in the west slope suggests a fifth original table, while the interior, divided into vestibule and funeral chamber, reveals a partially paved floor and traces of superimposed archaeological layers (limon and clay).

Ranked a historic monument in 1957, it was searched in 1956 by a team led by Pierre-Roland Giot, Jacques Briard and Jean L-Helgouach. These excavations revealed an exceptional collection of 41 vases, including 24 campaniformes (10 decorated), accompanied by fusaïoles, a schist armband, and flint tools. The diversity of pottery — some fine and lustre, others coarse — and the presence of a piece of bronze axe attest to an occupation extending from Neolithic to Chalcolithic. These artifacts, of "a considerable scientific richness", suggest local influences and cultural exchanges in western France.

The site is part of a larger megalithic landscape: two adjacent dolmens, now missing, were reported in 1911 by Commander Martin, one of whom had a corbelled circular chamber. The remains visible today could correspond to the slabs scattered near the driveway. Originally, the monument was about 8 metres long for 1.20 to 1.50 m of internal width, with a north-east orientation (azimut 60°). Its present state, partially buried in a slope, reflects both its seniority and the alterations suffered over the centuries, while maintaining intact structural elements such as bedside slab or inclined orthostats.

The covered walkway of Men-ar-Rumpet illustrates neolithic funeral practices in Brittany, where collective burials served as places of deposit for the deceased and their offerings. The discovery of campaniform vases, often associated with rituals related to drinking, reinforces the hypothesis of prolonged ceremonial use. The site, although modest in size (the smallest Breton driveway according to the searchers), offers a valuable testimony of megalithic construction techniques and cultural networks of the time. Its classification as historical monuments underlines its heritage importance, both for archaeology and for understanding the prehistoric societies of the Atlantic facade.

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