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Origin and history

The Dolmen de la Tuile des Fées, also known as the tomb of the Fées or dolmen de Pinols, is a megalithic monument located in the commune of Tailhac, in the department of Haute-Loire. Data of Neolithic, it consists of six large slabs and two smaller, with a collapsed cover table weighing about 15 tons. This dolmen, of potentially angeline type, has a square burial chamber bounded by four orthostats, preceded by a portico.

Ranked as historical monuments by order of 11 September 1987, the site underwent clandestine excavations in the 19th century. In 1976, an official archaeological excavation was conducted by C. Gautrand-Moser. The monument, damaged, retains traces of its funeral use and its importance in the local megalithic landscape.

According to a local legend, the dolmen was built by a fairy to shelter the weather by keeping her sheep. A visible hole in one of the slabs would be the result of its quail, used to spun wool. This oral tradition illustrates the attachment of local communities to this mysterious site, combining history and folklore.

The dolmen is mentioned in several archaeological works, notably in the Preliminary Directory to an inventory of the megalithic monuments of Auvergne (1977) and in local studies such as L-Almanach de Brioude (1924). These sources underline its role in understanding neolithic funeral practices in Auvergne.

Today, the dolmen and its tumulus remain protected, although their exact location is considered to be of poor accuracy (level 5/10). The site, although damaged, continues to attract the attention of archaeologists and megalithic heritage enthusiasts.

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