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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Menhir de Keranhouët, also known as Pierre Longue, is an iconic megalithic monument located in the commune of Saint-Gildas, in the Côtes-d'Armor department. This menhir, erected during the Neolithic period, bears witness to the importance of megalithic constructions in this Breton region, where prehistoric communities marked their territory and beliefs by these imposing stones erected.

The Keranhouët Menhir is 2.75 metres tall and consists of porphyroid granite, a rock typical of the region. Nearby, about 175 meters southeast, is another menhir named Botuto, suggesting a concentration of megalithic sites in this area. These monuments, often associated with ritual or funeral practices, reflect the social and spiritual organization of neolithic populations.

The Keranhouët Menhir has been listed as a historic monument since 23 September 1965, and is officially protected by its heritage importance. This registration preserves this vestige of the past, while providing researchers and the public with access to material testimony from the first agricultural and sedentary societies in Brittany. Studies, such as those conducted by Loïc Langouët in Les megalithes de l'arrondissement de Saint-Brieuc (2005), contribute to a better understanding of these structures and their role in the lives of ancient communities.

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