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Origin and history

The mound of Er Grah, located in Locmariaquer (Morbihan), is a megalithic monument dated to the Neolithic, long unknown before the excavations of 1991. It is part of the site of the megaliths of Locmariaquer, alongside the broken Grand Menhir and the Table des Marchand. Its current structure is the result of several construction phases, preceded by a pre-megalithic occupation marked by homes and rituals involving domesticated cattle.

In the 19th century, only partial sketches (such as that of W. C. Lukis in 1864) and limited excavations (Zacharie Le Rouzic in 1908) documented the site. The northern end, intact until 1933, was then exploited as a quarry, while the southern part was slashed in 1971 to create a parking lot. The tumulus, classified as a Historical Monument in 1935, was completely excavated between 1986 and 1994, revealing a complex three-phase architecture, including a trapezoidal burial chamber and consolidated silt extensions.

The excavations revealed vestiges of ritual activities dating back to the fifth millennium BC, such as the burial of two cattle after a scavenging ritual, accompanied by a point of arrow and pearls in variscite. The slab covering the chamber, in orthognesis, would come from the cutting of a nearby menhir, suggesting a link to the alignment of the Grand menhir, then partially dismantled. The orientation of the tumulus towards this menhir indicates that it was probably still standing when it was built.

The last restoration in 1992 enabled the monument to be partially rebuilt, now visible in its present state. Archaeological studies (including those of Serge Cassen and Charles-Tanguy Le Roux) highlight its importance in the megalithic Breton landscape, marked by sophisticated funeral and symbolic practices. The tumulus thus illustrates the evolution of construction techniques and beliefs of the Neolithic societies of the region.

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