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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Bourdenay's dolmen, often confused with the Pierre Couverte de Bercenay-le-Hayer (Aube), belongs to the period of recent Neolithic and Chalcolithic times. This type of collective funeral monument bears witness to the ritual and social practices of the agro-pastoral communities of the time. Its structure, composed of orthostates and a covering slab, illustrates the megalithic architecture characteristic of this period.

Ranked as Historic Monuments in 1959, this dolmen is distinguished by its orientation perpendicular to the river l-Orvin, located 185 metres away. The room, bounded by two orthostats (including a collapsed) and a bedside slab, opens to the south and is covered with a single table. These architectural elements suggest a desire to mark the landscape and honor the deceased.

Dolmens, like Bourdenay's, served as collective burials and played a central role in the territorial and symbolic organization of neolithic societies. Their construction reflects a technical mastery of local communities, as well as a social organization capable of mobilizing resources to build such buildings. These monuments also mark a transition to more elaborate funeral practices, which inform later cultures.

Available sources, including the work of D. Jourdain (1990), highlight the importance of the megaliths of the Dawn, of which Bourdenay is an integral part. Although the details specific to this dolmen remain partial, its classification in 1959 attests to its heritage and archaeological value. Regional studies, such as those conducted by ARPEPP, contribute to a better understanding of these prehistoric remains.

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