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Origin and history

The Marteau Stone is a Gallo-Roman leugary pillar, that is, a monument erected at the edge of a Roman way to indicate the distances in Gallic leagues. Cut in a block of granite, it is 2.2 meters high and consists of a rectangular base surmounted by a flattened cylinder. The inscription engraved "IMP. (VA)LERIANO (ET) GALLIENO AVGG CLL XXXI" attests to its imperial origin, linked to the emperors Valerian and Gallian.

The pillar dates from the third century (253–259) and was initially placed on the ancient Roman way from Ahun to Pontarion. Rediscovered in 1880 planted in reverse – hence its name evoking a hammer – it was classified as a historic monument on March 8, 1929. Today, it stands in the eponymous hamlet of the municipality of Donzeil, in Creuse (Nouvelle-Aquitaine).

Its inscription commemorates the joint reigns of Valérien and Gallien, two Roman emperors who marked the middle of the third century. The terminal illustrates the Roman road organization in Gaul, where these landmarks facilitated military and commercial travel. Its state of conservation and its precise location (GPS coordinates: 1 La Pierre du Marteau, 23480 Le Donzeil) give a rare testimony of this time.

In addition to its archaeological interest, the Pierre du Marteau gave its name to the hamlet where it is located. It is one of the historical monuments of the Creuse and is referenced in the Mérimée and Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire bases. Its protection in 1929 underlines its heritage importance, both for local history and for the understanding of Roman infrastructures in Limousin.

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