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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Dolmen dit La Pierre Levée, also known as the Dolmen de la Haute-Barde, is a megalithic monument located in the commune of Beaumont-Louestault, in the department of Indre-et-Loire. This dolmen, dated from the Neolithic, consists of three supports and a partially collapsed table, as well as an isolated support at the entrance. Built of lake limestone, it takes a rectangular shape and is to the west of the commune, near the boundary with Neuvy-le-Roi, within the park of the château de la Haute-Barde.

Ranked as historical monuments by the list of 1889, this archaeological site bears witness to the funeral and architectural practices of neolithic societies. Dolmen is mentioned in specialized books, such as Gérard Cordier's Inventory of the Megaliths of France (1963) and Robert Ranjard's Archaeological Touraine (1949), which highlight its importance in the regional megalithic heritage. Its precise location, 1 La Barde, is referenced in the Merimée database under the code Insee 37021.

The monument, although partially collapsed, remains a remarkable example of the megalithic constructions of the Centre-Val de Loire region. Its early classification in 1889 reflected the recognition of its heritage value as early as the 19th century. Today, it is accessible in the park of the Château de la Haute-Barde, offering a tangible overview of funeral traditions and construction techniques of the Neolithic era.

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