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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The dolmen de Rugles, also known as dolmen de la Forge, is a megalith located on the border of the communes of Ambenay and Rugles, on the banks of the River Risle. This monument, dated from the Neolithic, resembles covered aisles with a room paved with flint and a partially covered vestibule. Its structure consists of three vertical supports and a square table of 3.9 m side, although a fourth support has disappeared.

The first written mention of the dolmen dates back to 1829 by Frédéric Galeron, followed in 1832 by Auguste Le Prévost, who described it as overturned and broken. In 1879, the Viscount of Pulligny gave a brief description of it, while Léon Coutil, president of the Société préhistorique française, provided a detailed analysis of it in 1896, accompanied by drawings. These works are based in particular on the excavations of Armand Desloges, carried out in 1893, which reveal the monument of vegetation and alluvions.

The excavations of Desloges, published in 1903, reveal a layer of peat and plant debris covering the dolmen, as well as a soil buried under 0.3 m from the change in the course of the Risle. No archaeological objects are mentioned in his report, but he refers to earlier lootings by treasure seekers. The Dolmen is listed as a historic monument since 1900, highlighting its heritage importance.

The site illustrates the funeral and cultural practices of the Neolithic in Normandy, a period marked by nascent agriculture and the use of polished stone tools, such as those found in the region. Its architecture, typical of collective burials, reflects the expertise of local communities in megalithic construction.

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