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Origin and history

The dolmens of Trainel are two megalithic monuments located in the state forest of Vauluisant, in Saint-Maurice-aux-Riches-Hommes (Yonne). These collective burials, built in Neolithic, have been discovered and studied gradually since the 19th century. They illustrate the funeral practices of that time, with rooms bounded by sandstone slabs and massive roofing tables.

The first written mention of the dolmens dates back to 1878, when Philippe Salmon mentioned in his Dictionnaire archéologique de l'Yonne the presence of a dolmen under which many bodies were found. In 1907, a summary search was conducted on one of the two dolmens, followed by a detailed description by Joseph Perrin in 1915. Despite these first explorations, the monuments fell into oblivion and were even believed destroyed before being rediscovered in 1991 by local historians.

Ranked historic monuments by decree of 22 May 1922, the dolmens of Trainel underwent a clandestine search in 1927 by schoolchildren and their teacher. The two dolmens, about ten metres apart, are built on a slight slope overlooking a temporary ru. The "big dolmen" and "small dolmen" have distinct structures, with sandstone cover tables and partially excavated burial chambers. Human bones were collected there, confirming their sepulchral use.

A third dolmen, called "dolmen du Bois de Bray", was identified in 1992 about 1,500 metres southwest of the Dolmens de Trainel. This site, although less documented, suggests a concentration of megalithic monuments in this forest area. The dolmens of Trainel remain valuable testimonies of the neolithic communities of Burgundy, marked by collective funeral rites and remarkable mastery of stone-cutting.

The studies conducted, notably by Pierre Buvot and Pascal Duhamel, underline the importance of collective burials in Burgundy between 4500 and 2000 BC. These monuments, embedded in a landscape shaped by man, reflect a complex social organization and a spirituality rooted in the territory. Their preservation now allows us to study the lifestyles and beliefs of the prehistoric populations of the region.

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