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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Dolmen de Roch-Vihan, also known as the dolmen de Kerluir, is an iconic megalithic monument located in Carnac, Morbihan department, Brittany. Dating from Neolithic, it bears witness to the funeral and architectural practices of prehistoric societies of that time. This site, although partially ruined, still retains three orthostats (vertical stones) and a single cover table, offering an overview of its original structure.

The dolmen was searched in 1876 by J. Miln, although the results of this research are not documented. In 1922, Zacharie Le Rouzic, an archaeologist specializing in the megaliths of Carnac, carried out restoration work to preserve the monument. These interventions have stabilized the remaining remains. The dolmen was officially classified as historical monuments by an order of 11 September 1929, thus recognizing its heritage importance.

Geographically, the Dolmen de Roch-Vihan is about 130 metres south of the hamlet of Kerluir, of which it takes its second name. Nearby, 80 meters west, stands the Kerluhir Menhir, highlighting the concentration of megalithic monuments in this area. These elements suggest that the site was part of a larger funeral or ceremonial complex, typical of the Breton megalithic landscapes.

Available sources, including the work of Zacharie Le Rouzic published in 1965 in the Bulletin of the Morbihan Polymathic Society, provide valuable information on the inventory and study of megaliths in the region. The Dolmen de Roch-Vihan is thus part of a wider network of prehistoric sites, illustrating the importance of Carnac as a focal point of megalithism in Europe.

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