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Origin and history

The Menhirs of Beg-er-Goh-Lannec, located in Quiberon, Morbihan, form a set of three stones originally erected, two of which were restored in the 20th century. In 1859, Father Collet discovered under one of the menhirs lying in pieces of pottery and a grain of terracotta, suggesting a funeral or ritual use. These vestiges, typical of the Breton Neolithic, illustrate the cultural practices of the period, although their exact function remains debated.

In 1930, the archaeologist Zacharie Le Rouzic raised the two largest menhirs, then ashore, before their official classification as historical monuments on May 28, 1931. The north menhir, broken in two parts, would reach 6 meters high if it was reconstituted, while the south menhir, restored in 1984, is nicknamed Bishop's Bonnet because of its distinctive shape. Their current alignment is separated by the coastal road, a result of modern interventions.

These megaliths are part of a landscape rich in prehistoric sites, characteristic of the Morbihan coast. Their preservation reflects the growing interest in megalithic heritage at the beginning of the twentieth century, marked by systematic excavations and rankings. The menhirs of Quiberon remain today a tangible testimony of neolithic societies, whose material traces are often fragmentary.

Historical sources, such as the works of Le Rouzic or the inventories of the Regional Archaeology Service, underline the importance of these monuments in the study of funeral and symbolic practices of Neolithic. Their present state, between restoration and fragmentation, calls for a careful reading of their history, where archaeological hypotheses are associated with documented certainties.

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