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Origin and history

Le dolmen de la Pierre Chaude is a megalith located in the commune of Paulmy, in Indre-et-Loire, in the Centre-Val de Loire region. This monument, erected during the Neolithic period, is distinguished by its structure in sandstone and limestone, with an angled cover table of 2.70 m long. It was discovered in 1887 and searched by a teacher in Barrou, revealing human and animal bones, artifacts (pottery, cut flint) and coaly residues, suggesting funeral offerings.

The dolmen, also known as "The Fairy Seat", has been listed as a historic monument since April 4, 1911. It is located on the hillside, near the Brignon, 600 m from Châtellier castle and 2.7 km from Paulmy city centre. Its circular sepulchral chamber, closed and supported by 5 orthostats, houses the remains of its builders, as well as fossils and objects associated with funeral rituals.

The structure, typical of polygonal dolmens, is composed of upper Turonian sandstone blocks and limestone. The partial collapse of its inside cover table was observed during the excavations. These were used to date the Middle Neolithic monument (circa 3500 B.C.), thanks to the artifacts and cremation traces (coal, ashes) found on site.

The site, studied by archaeologists such as Louis Bousrez and Jean-Claude Marquet, illustrates the funerary and social practices of the Neolithic communities of Touraine. The objects discovered, such as broken vases and flint tools, bear witness to the cult of ancestors and complex rituals, peculiar to this period of transition to sedentary agriculture.

The location of the dolmen, near a stream and a medieval castral site (the Châtellier), suggests a continuous human occupation in this valley. Its early ranking (1911) reflects its heritage importance, while subsequent studies, such as those of the CNRS or the Atlas Archéologique de Touraine, have refined its understanding of its role in the regional megalithic landscape.

Today, the dolmen of the Pierre Chaude remains a major testimony of neolithic funeral architecture in Touraine, accessible from the place called Moulin du Châtelier. Its state of conservation, though partial, allows us to study the construction techniques and beliefs of the prehistoric societies of the region.

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