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Origin and history

The Cairn des Grays, also known as the Grays' dolmens, is a megalithic site composed of three corridor dolmens, located in Billiers commune, Morbihan. This cairn, with a diameter of between 20 and 30 meters, is very degraded but retains remarkable internal structures, such as partitions compartmentalizing one of the rooms. It is located in the immediate vicinity of the cliff overlooking the north coast of the Vilaine estuary, not far from the point of Pen Lan, and next to another dolmen named dolmen of the Toad.

The cairn of the Grays was listed as historical monuments by an order dated 17 August 1934. This official protection underscores its archaeological and heritage importance. Its configuration recalls that of another Morbihan site, the cairn from Larcouste to Colpo, suggesting architectural or cultural similarities between these megalithic monuments of the region.

The dolmens of the Grays' cairn are partially buried, with tables barely touching above the ground. Their state of ruin and partial burial make it difficult to study their original structure in detail. Despite this, the site remains a valuable testimony of the funeral and architectural practices of neolithic societies in Brittany, although its exact period of construction is not specified in the available sources.

The cairn is mentioned in archaeological publications, notably in an article by Charles-Tanguy Le Roux published in 1975 in Gallia prehistory. The latter refers to archaeological information relating to the constituency of Brittany, confirming the scientific interest in this site. The Cairn des Grays is thus part of a wider network of megalithic sites in Morbihan, a region particularly rich in prehistoric remains.

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