Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Dolmen Caixeta de Camélas is a megalithic monument originally located in Camélas, in the Pyrénées-Orientales, before being rebuilt nearby, in the commune of Corbère-les-Cabanes. Its history is marked by successive displacements and reconstructions, reflecting a late and partial preservation of its original state.

Discovered in 1946 by Eugene Devaux, the dolmen was then described as "half demolished", with its table and door broken. In 1949, Pierre Ponsich reported that his elements had been reused to build a shelter against the wind, while placing the new building on the nearby municipality of Camelas. These movements blurred his exact location, complicating his subsequent identification.

The dolmen was officially listed as a historical monument on October 7, 1959, under the name Dolmen, known as Le Caixeta. In the following years, Jean Abélanet identified megalithic remains bordering the municipalities of Camelas and Corbère-les-Cabanes, suggesting a reconstruction linked to the development of a motorcycle cross track. These vestiges, called "damaged dolmen du Correc de Montou", featured slabs decorated with cups and crosses, typical elements of megalithic art.

The original side slab, described by Devaux as bearing five or six cross cups, was allegedly reused as a covering slab during reconstruction. Abelanet, for his part, raised eight cups and two crosses on a slab of the site, confirming the archaeological importance of the monument despite its transformations. Today, the dolmen illustrates both the richness of the Catalan prehistoric heritage and the challenges of its conservation in the face of modern amenities.

External links