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Key figures

Origin and history

The Dolmen de la Pierre Tournante, also known as Pierre Branlante, is a megalithic monument located in the commune of Nogent, Haute-Marne department, in the Grand Est region. This site, classified as a historic monument in 1949, is distinguished by its imposing cover table (4.30 m long) and a funeral chamber oriented north-south. Its name evokes a local legend that stone would rotate completely in a century, although this belief is a matter of folklore.

The first excavations, conducted in 1875 or 1876 by Father Bonaventure, a capuchin on mission at Vitry-les-Nogent, revealed flint tools, ceramic fragments and human bones belonging to at least seven individuals. These discoveries, supplemented in 1982 by a millstone fragment and over 500 flints, confirmed the site's assignment to the Campaniforme. The dolmen was partially moved at the beginning of the 20th century by a logger, after a bold bet involving a system of levers and rollers.

During the French Revolution, the Dolmen was reportedly used, according to accounts reported by Arthur Daguin, for enemy executions. This troubled period adds a dark historical dimension to the site. Between 1941 and 1948, extensive excavations in the forest of Marsois preceded its official classification. Despite damage caused by clearing in 1982, the dolmen remains a major testimony of funeral practices and prehistoric life in the region.

The archaeological furniture discovered, including arrow tips, scrapers and a bone button, illustrates the ritual and practical importance of the site. The legend of the rotating stone, though without a scientific foundation, perpetuates its mystery. Today, the Dolmen de la Pierre Tournante embodies both a remarkable megalithic heritage and a popular narrative rooted in the local imagination.

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