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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The tumulus of Montiou, located in the commune of Sainte-Soline (Deux-Sèvres, Nouvelle-Aquitaine), form an exceptional megalithic ensemble dating from the Middle Neolithic (c. 4000-3500 BC). Ranked as historical monuments in 1986, this site consists of three tumulus (A, B, C), whose tumulus A, of quadrangular form (50 m x 22 m), houses four dolmens aligned east-west, characterized by parallel access corridors. Its fitted south limestone facade and central axial ridge suggest a fast and planned construction, typical of Atlantic funerary architectures.

The tumulus A, partially destroyed by quarrying operations in the 20th century, was the subject of major archaeological excavations between 1975 and 1981, revealing dolmenic chambers with various structures: the dolmen I, with a curved corridor of 11 m and an anthropomorphic stele, or the dolmen II, of the "angoumoisin" type, with a quadrangular chamber. The discoveries (a tool in flint, pearls in variscite, bones of 40 individuals) attest to the re-use of the site over centuries, between 3855 and 3375 BC, and cultural ties with the tumulus neighbouring Bougon and Limalonges.

The modern history of the site is marked by fortuitous discoveries, such as a flint knife reported in 1894 by Abbé Meté, or clandestine excavations that motivated rescue interventions in the 1970s. The tumulus A, restored after its degradation by agricultural and mining activities, is today the only one of the three original tumulus to maintain a visible structure. The tumulus C, located 250 m to the northeast, was completely abrased by crops, while tumulus B, a small ovalar cairn, was identified during the 1980 excavations.

Analyses of the archaeological material (polished axes, perforated shells, pottery) connect the Montiou with the cultures of the Middle and Recent Neolithic, revealing complex funeral practices: primary burials in the corridors, deposits of re-used bones, and symbolic offerings. The dating of a dolmen II bone (3375-3855 B.C.) and the hypothesis of a construction beginning around 4000 B.C. underline the former occupation of the site, contemporary of the first megaliths of the French West Centre.

The Montiou site is part of a regional megalithic network, 16 km from Bougon and 18 km from Limalonges, sharing architectural features such as the long parallel corridors. These tumulus, probably intended for a local elite, reflect a hierarchical social organization and elaborate funeral beliefs, where the monumentality of the burials marked the status of the deceased. Their classification in 1986 preserved this rare testimony of neolithic practices in Poitou-Charentes.

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