Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Dolmen de la Pierre Levée de la Fontenille, located in the commune of Faye-l'Abbesse in Les Deux-Sèvres, is a megalithic monument emblematic of the Neolithic period. Ranked as historical monuments by order of 28 April 1971, it is distinguished by its complex structure, consisting of a master bedroom and a second partially collapsed complex. The roof table, in sandstone, rests on four granite orthostats, while two other stones partially close the chamber on the north side. About 80 metres to the west, an oval tomb and a second dolmen, not yet found, are mentioned.

The funeral chamber, narrow (1.40 m wide), has been looted several times, altering its original state. Architectural elements, such as the bowls dug in the table and the lying orthostats of the second set, suggest that it could be a small covered driveway. The materials used, sandstone for tables and granite for supports, reflect the local resources exploited by the Neolithic communities. This site illustrates the collective funeral practices of the time, where dolmens served as burials for the deceased.

Historical sources, including Georges Germond's Inventory of Megaliths of France (1980), confirm the archaeological importance of the site. The approximate location, near Les Trois Pillars in Chiché, and its ranking among historic monuments underscore its heritage value. Despite imprecise GPS coordinates (level 5/10 according to Monumentum), the dolmen remains a major testimony of the megalithism in New Aquitaine, linked to the networks of similar sites in the Deux-Sèvres.

External links