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Heritage classified

Origin and history

The collapsed dolmen called La Pierre Levée de Berthe-grille is a megalithic monument located in Sablonceaux, Charente-Maritime department. Dated from Neolithic, it is distinguished by its overturned cover table, partially laid on the ground, as well as by two other slabs still visible. Of these, two are red, while the third is white. This site, though ruined, bears witness to the funeral and architectural practices of this distant era.

The dolmen was classified as historical monuments by a decree of 4 February 1937, thus recognizing its heritage importance. Its present state, although degraded, still allows to observe traces of its original structure. The dolmens, typical of Neolithic, generally served as collective burials and marked the landscape of their imposing presence, reflecting the beliefs and social organization of the communities of the time.

The location of the monument, in the region of New Aquitaine (formerly Poitou-Charentes), is part of a territory rich in prehistoric remains. These megalithic constructions were often linked to funeral rites or territorial landmarks, playing a central role in the lives of the sedentary populations that then developed. Their construction required collective cooperation, thus illustrating the growing complexity of neolithic societies.

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