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Origin and history

The dolmen de la Briordais, also known as the dolmen de Moulin Chevalier or the Quarteron des Chevallais, is a megalithic site located in Saint-Brevin-les-Pins, in the Loire-Atlantique department. This monument, dated Neolithic, was listed as historical monuments in 1981. It is described in the Archaeological Dictionary of the Loire-Inferior of Pitre de Lisle du Dreneuc as a 21 meters long and 2 meters high terre, with a large slab of 2.35 meters resting on a block at the top.

The site consists of about fifteen blocks of stone, three of which form a straight angle in the ground, evoking a small dolmen. Five other irregular blocks are aligned in two parallel lines. A notable slab presents 17 cupules, typical engravings of megalithic art. The dolmen is located in the Chevaillais, and its location is listed in the Merimée base under INSEE code 44154.

Archaeological research, such as that carried out by Michel Tessier and his collaborators, underlines the importance of megalithism in the Country of Retz. This dolmen illustrates the funeral and symbolic practices of the Neolithic communities of the region, although its exact use remains partially interpreted in the absence of exhaustive excavations.

The monument has been protected since 1981 by an inscription order, specifically covering the dolmen and its terre (cadastre B 466). Its approximate location, noted with a priori satisfactory accuracy, is accessible via GPS coordinates. Available sources, including Wikipedia and Monumentum, confirm its status as a local and regional historical heritage.

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