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Origin and history

The Dolmen de Laverré, located in the municipality of Aslonnes in the department of Vienna, is a megalithic monument emblematic of the Neolithic period. This angoumoisin-type dolmen is enclosed in a tumulus of 25 metres in diameter, partially altered by later constructions. According to historical surveys, it was surrounded by a peristalith, including the southeast side, consisting of eight low and rounded blocks. The funeral chamber, of quadrangular shape, is 3 meters long by 2.50 meters wide and was bounded by eight orthostats, six of which still remain today.

The site was searched and studied by Dom Fonteneau in the late 18th century. In 1865, Le Touzé de Longuemar drew up a detailed foreground. The dolmen was classified as historical monuments in 1889, and its surrounding pierrier was protected by an order in 1958. However, these protections did not prevent damage, such as a clandestine search in 1953 which damaged the interior of the room.

In 1939, Étienne Patte conducted an archaeological survey on the site, allowing to recover a variety of funerary furniture, including flint daggers, arrow frames, pearls of various materials, a perforated deer canine and ceramic teasses. These artifacts reveal the ritual and funeral importance of dolmen during Neolithic. The site illustrates the cultural and social practices of prehistoric communities in the region.

Historical sources also mention bibliographical references, such as the work of Jean-Pierre Putreau and Montserrat Mataro I Pladelasala, who contributed to the inventory of the megaliths of Vienna. These studies, combined with the excavations of Stephen Patte, offer an in-depth view of the use and significance of this monument throughout the ages.

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