Timeline

Heritage classified

Origin and history

The Dolmen de Chantebrault, also called La Grande Pierre Levée, is a megalithic building located in the commune of Saint-Laon, in the department of Vienna (Nouvelle-Aquitaine). Dated by Neolithic, this monument illustrates the collective funeral buildings characteristic of this period, where sedentary communities erected stone structures to house the deceased. Its architecture, typical of the dolmens, consists of one or more horizontal slabs resting on vertical supports, forming an accessible chamber.

Filed under the Historical Monuments by order of 10 December 1956, the dolmen enjoys legal protection which underlines its heritage importance. Available data, notably from the Merimée database and Monumentum, indicate an approximate location in Saint-Laon, with an Insee code (86227) confirming its anchoring in Vienna. No specific information is provided on its current state of conservation, its exact dimensions, or any associated archaeological excavations. The accuracy of its location is estimated at 6/10, suggesting satisfactory but perfectable identification.

In the Neolithic era, dolmen served as collective burials and often marked the landscape as symbolic landmarks for local populations. In the Poitou, as elsewhere in France, these monuments reflect a complex social organization, where the cult of ancestors and the mastery of the techniques of size and transport of stones played a central role. Their geographical distribution and diverse architecture today offer keys to understanding the cultural exchanges and beliefs of prehistoric societies.

External links