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Origin and history

The Dolmens du Mas d'Arjac are a set of three megalithic monuments located in the municipality of Cabrerets, in the Lot department. These structures date from the Neolithic and reflect the funeral practices of that time. The site is composed of dolmen n°1, still well preserved with its tumulus of 21 meters in diameter and its table of cover estimated at 6.5 tons, dolmen n°2, partially destroyed and invaded by vegetation, and dolmen n°3, now disappeared after reforestation work but documented by Jean Clottes before its destruction.

The dolmen n°1, oriented according to the 119°azimut, is the best preserved of all. He kept his rounded tumulus and cover table, which is 9 m2. This monument was inscribed under the title of Historical Monuments by order of 22 March 1966. Close by, the dolmen no. 2, oriented at 70°, is in a critical state: its table has disappeared and its orthostats are damaged. Finally, Dolmen No. 3, located near the ridge of Pech del Cayre, was oriented at 79° and had a tumulus of 12 meters in diameter before its destruction.

The surveys by Jean Clottes, published in Inventories des megalithes de la France (1977), are a major source of knowledge of these monuments. The site illustrates the importance of dolmens in the neolithic funeral landscapes of the Occitanie region, especially the Lot. These structures, often associated with tumulus, served as collective burials and reflected the beliefs and social organization of the communities of the time.

The location of the dolmens, at or near the Pech del Cayre, suggests a deliberate choice linked to topographical or symbolic considerations. Their variable orientation (between 70° and 119°) could indicate specific astronomical alignments or local traditions. Despite their unequal state of conservation, these monuments remain valuable testimonies of the French megalithic heritage.

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