Construction of cairn Néolithique moyen (vers 4500-3500 av. J.-C.) (≈ 4000 av. J.-C.)
Building period estimated by artifacts.
1887
Archaeological excavations
Archaeological excavations 1887 (≈ 1887)
Discovery of tools and pottery by Mr. Fornier.
15 avril 1965
Historical monument classification
Historical monument classification 15 avril 1965 (≈ 1965)
Legal protection of the site by decree.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Cairn à trois dolmens (cad. S 212): classification by order of 15 April 1965
Key figures
M. Fornier - Archaeological searcher
Explored the cairn in 1887.
Origin and history
The cairn of the Ville-Pichard, located north of Pléneuf-Val-André in the Côtes-d This megalithic monument of elliptical form (25 m long, 10 m wide and 5 m high originally) dates from the Middle Armenian Neolithic. It consists of three circular chambers aligned, each accessible by a corridor facing south, and covered with a corbellation of dry stones. Its architecture recalls that of the cairn of Carn Island in Ploudalmezeau, highlighting a regional constructive tradition.
The excavations conducted in 1887 by Mr.Fornier – whose precise identity remains unknown – revealed exclusive artifacts in room 3: sixteen pebbles, flint tools (blades, tips, scraper) and tensions of seven pottery vases. These discoveries, characteristic of the Middle Neolithic (circa 4500-3500 BC), attest to the funeral and ritual use of the site. The rooms, bounded by orthostats from 0.80 m to 1.20 m high, had a paved floor of sandstone slabs d-Erquy, local materials.
Ranked a historic monument on April 15, 1965, the cairn illustrates the importance of collective burials in the Armenian neolithic societies. Today, partially buried under vegetation, it bears witness to the funeral practices and megalithic engineering of the time. Its present state limits its accessibility, but its legal protection preserves its archaeological memory.
Comparison with the Carn Island cairn suggests a network of exchanges or a common architectural school between the coastal communities of North Brittany. Discovered pebbles and pottery evoke offerings or everyday objects deposited with the deceased, reflecting beliefs related to the beyond. The lack of furniture in rooms 1 and 2 remains unexplained, opening the way for future research.
