Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The dolmen of Kerlescan, located in Carnac, Morbihan, is a megalithic vestige dated from the Neolithic. According to the excavations carried out at the end of the 19th century, it was probably a covered driveway now very degraded. The monument was originally covered with an oval or rectangular tumulus, housing an internal structure divided into two chambers separated by a pierced partition. The descriptions of Villemeureuil (1860) and Lukis (1867) reveal a complex architecture, with orthostats aligned and a partially preserved peristalith (circle erect stones).

The first explorations, conducted by M. de Kerenflech and M. de Villemeureuil in 1860, did not provide any significant archaeological furniture. In 1867, however, Lukis discovered fragments of pottery, arrow tips, a fibrolith axe, and pendants in the rubble, now preserved at the British Museum. Félix Gaillard, in 1887, noticed the disappearance of many stones, reused to restore a local mill. The site, restored around 1888, was classified as historic monuments as early as 1889, along with the adjacent alignments of Kerlescan.

The ancient plans describe a monument 16 to 17 metres long, divided into two spaces by an empty partition, suggesting a funeral or ritual function. The tumulus, up to 49 metres long according to Lukis, was lined with peristalithic blocks, some of which were found during restorations. The present state of the dolmen, very damaged, no longer makes it possible to understand its original aspect, but the excavations of the 19th century preserved valuable documentation.

Archaeological furniture, although limited, offers clues on local neolithic practices: adorned pottery, flint tools and trimmings (rock crystal or shale locks). These objects, associated with the architecture of the monument, suggest a funerary or symbolic site, integrated with the exceptional megalithic landscape of Carnac. The restoration of 1888 visa to stabilize the remains, but some of the materials had already disappeared, victims of looting or reuse.

Today, Kerlescan's dolmen is protected as historical monuments, reflecting the importance of Breton megalithic sites. Its ranking in 1889, contemporary to that of the alignments of Carnac, underscores its role in the French prehistoric heritage. Despite its fragmentary state, it remains an emblematic example of the Neolithic covered alleys, characteristic of the region.

External links