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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Dolmen du Chardy, located in Orsennes in the department of Indre, is a megalithic vestige dated to Neolithic. It is distinguished by its rounded roofing table (3 m x 2.90 m) supported by three local granite pillars, one of which collapsed after underground excavations in 1982. The table has engravings: a straight groove and a cross, identified as boundary marks of 1752 to delineate the land of the Grandmont convent, as well as a circle linked to an attempt to cut a millstone in the 19th century.

Mentioned for the first time in 1868 by Abbé Mingasson, the dolmen was classified as historical monuments in 1889. Archaeological excavations, such as those carried out in 1945 by Dr. Jacques Allain, revealed only medieval artifacts (oxidized currency) and pottery coats, suggesting previously undocumented disturbances. The site was also photographed in 1890 by Séraphin-Médéric Miéuseuseuse, whose negative is preserved at the heritage media library.

The monument illustrates neolithic funeral practices, although its exact use remains uncertain due to unrecorded ancient excavations. Granite slabs, a local rock that is 450 m from the site, highlight the adaptation of the builders to the resources available. The 18th century boundary marks and the attempt at re-use in the 19th century testify to its gradual integration into the local agricultural and social landscape, long after its construction.

Ranked among the first French historical monuments in 1889, Chardy's dolmen embodies both a rare megalithic heritage in the Centre-Val de Loire region and an object of study for the evolution of prehistoric sites. Its present state, marked by human alterations, reflects the challenges of preserving archaeological remains in the face of successive activities, from ancient excavations to attempts at material reappropriation.

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