Construction of dolmen Néolithique moyen et final (≈ 2770 av. J.-C.)
Artenacian period, collective funeral use
1848
First written entry
First written entry 1848 (≈ 1848)
By Father Michon in his work
1874
Archaeological excavations
Archaeological excavations 1874 (≈ 1874)
Directed by Auguste-François Lièvre
1883
Publication of results
Publication of results 1883 (≈ 1883)
Reporting in the "Memories" of SAHC
1889
Historical monument classification
Historical monument classification 1889 (≈ 1889)
Among the first protected sites in Charente
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Dolmen in the tumulus known as La Motte-de-la-Garde (C 37, 38, 41, 42): ranking by list of 1889
Key figures
Abbé Michon - Local scholar
Mentioned the dolmen in 1848
Auguste-François Lièvre - Archaeologist
Searched and documented the site in 1874
Origin and history
The Dolmen de La Motte-de-la-Garde, located in Luxé, Charente, is a megalithic building emblematic of the Neolithic. It consists of an imposing tumulus of 50 meters long by 27 meters wide, facing south-east/north-west, housing a burial chamber in slabs of 3.25 m long. This corridor dolmen, of angoumoisin type, was built after the tumulus, as attests its eccentric positioning. Its architecture reveals a thick cover table of 1.50 m, supported by five retouched orthostats, opening to the east.
Stunned in 1874 by Auguste-François Lièvre, the site delivered a rich archaeological furniture: bones of fifteen individuals, ceramics (including a red-brown vase), lithic tools (hachettes, flint blades of Grand-Pressigny, arrow frames), and trimmings (quartz pearls, bronze, callai, wild boar defences). These artifacts date from the Middle and Final Neolithic (Artenacian culture), illustrating complex funeral and craft practices. The dolmen, mentioned in 1848 by Abbé Michon, was classified as a historic monument in 1889, highlighting its heritage importance.
The 0,80 m thick bone layer suggests prolonged use as a collective burial. Among the remarkable objects are a polished half axe in flint, a bone punch, and a green stone pendant, showing distant exchanges (silex of Grand-Pressigny, callais). The tumulus, with its height of 4 meters, dominates the landscape, symbolically marking the funeral space. The excavations of Lièvre, documented in 1883, remain a reference for the study of megalithism in Charente.
The dolmen is part of a network of regional megalithic sites, reflecting a human occupation organized around agricultural and ritual practices in the Neolithic. Its early protection (1889) made it one of the first listed monuments of Charente, alongside other dolmens like those of the Angoulême region. Subsequent studies, notably those of Roger Joussaume (2016), confirm his role in the cultural and technical exchanges of the period between the Atlantic and the Paris basin.
Announcements
Please log in to post a review