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Origin and history

The Dolmen de la Verrerie-Veille is a megalithic building located in Tourrettes, Var department. It is enclosed in a tumulus of 24 meters in diameter and 2 meters in height, with a sepulchral chamber bounded by imposing orthostates (3 m long, 2 m high). The lateral sides consist of sandstone slabs and reddish lauze walls, while a transverse slab divides the interior into two parts. The access corridor, 3 meters long, is marked by an alternation of slabs and walls.

Stunned in 1876 by Dr Ollivier, then by Paul Goby (1929) and Gérard Sauzade (1972), the site delivered human bones, including some incinerated, as well as a rich funerary furniture: arrow frames, polished axe, archer armband, limestone or variscite beads, and copper objects. These findings suggest construction during Campaniforme, with prolonged use until the Bronze Age. Part of the furniture is preserved at the Grasse Museum and at the Vaison-la-Romane Archaeological Repository.

Ranked a historic monument in 1987, the dolmen was restored by Hélène Barge. Its regional importance is underlined by its size, its careful architecture and the diversity of exhumed artifacts, reflecting complex funeral practices. Ancient excavations, although partially documented, also reveal fragments of ceramics and hyalin quartz trimmings, showing local trades or crafts.

The building is part of a studied megalithic Varietal landscape, as evidenced by bibliographical references (Barge & Mahieu, 2005; Furestier, 2005). This work highlights its role in the cultural networks of south-eastern France during the recent prehistory. The precise location, near Les Bertrand, and its state of conservation make it a key site for understanding the campaniform and protohistoric societies of Provence-Alpes-Côte d的Azur.

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