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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The dolmen dit La Pierre Levée, located in Ardillières in Charente-Maritime, is a megalithic monument dated to the Neolithic. It consists of four orthostats (including a layer) delimiting a rectangular sepulchral chamber (2.15 m x 1.40 m), covered by a 2.80 m long limestone table. The table has a cupula, while an orthostate has a butt-shaped engraving, rare in the department. The site, mentioned from the Map of Cassini (18th century), was searched in the 19th century by René Primevère Lesson and Charles Rigaud, revealing an engraved bone disc.

Ranked a historical monument in 1889, the dolmen is associated with local legends: one makes it a "gate of hell" without return, the other evokes a fairy underground guardian. The slabs, in local limestone, could come from a nearby quarry. The monument illustrates neolithic funeral practices, with a room facing south-east, typical of the collective burials of this period.

The excavations of the 19th century, although limited, revealed a unique archaeological object: a perforated and engraved bone disc. This dolmen, studied by Gabriel de Mortillet in 1896, remains a remarkable testimony of regional megalithic art. Its early protection (1889) emphasized its heritage importance, reinforced by its representation on historical maps and its architectural peculiarities, such as engraved decoration.

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