Timeline

Heritage classified

Origin and history

The dolmen de la Vernhiette is an iconic megalithic building located in the commune of Gaillac-d'Aveyron, in the department of Aveyron, in the Occitan region. The Neolithic monument bears witness to the funeral and architectural practices of prehistoric societies of this time. Its location in a rural landscape typical of Rouergue makes it a major archaeological vestige to understand the ancient cultures of this region.

Ranked under the title of historical monuments by order of 12 July 1989, the dolmen de la Vernhiette enjoys official protection which underlines its heritage importance. Available data, notably from the Merimée and Monumentum databases, confirm its status as a protected element, although details of its precise use or construction context remain partially documented. The approximate location, recorded with average accuracy (level 5/10), indicates that it is located at the administrative coordinates of the commune of Gaillac-d'Aveyron, without further finer geographical details.

Neolithic, a period in which this dolmen is associated, corresponds to an era of profound transformations for human societies, marked by sedentarization, the development of agriculture and the emergence of collective structures such as megalithic burials. In southern France, especially in Occitanie, these monuments often served as places of worship or burial, reflecting an increasingly complex social organization. The dolmen de la Vernhiette is thus part of a wider network of similar sites, illustrating the cultural and technical exchanges of the time.

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