Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Old Moulin alignments are two sets of menhirs located in Plouharnel, Morbihan. These erect stones, dated from the Neolithic, were extracted on site thanks to the dilapidated nature of the local granite. The site consists of a north group of four menhirs (including one fragmented and straightened in the 20th century) and a south group of six smaller menhirs, aligned over 12 metres. An old mill, now gone, gave its name to the place.

In 1832 Murray Vicars mapped the menhirs, and in 1863 L. Rosenzweig recorded three still standing. Felix Gaillard acquired the site for the state in 1882-1883 and restored the southern group in 1884. Ranked a historic monument in 1889, the site also reveals traces of a tumulus between the two alignments, observed by Le Rouzic in the early twentieth century. In 1972, Minot discovered engravings on a menhir, interpreted as religious symbols comparable to those of Kermaillard's menhir.

The stones, all made of local granite, come from today's filled quarries visible on the site. Their layout and engravings (quadrilatere and crescent moon) suggest ritual or funeral use. Archaeological research, such as that of Serge Cassen, highlights the importance of alignments in the megalithic landscape of Quiberon Bay, linked to neolithic burial terres.

External links