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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The menhir de la Pierre-aux-Prêtres is a 1.80 m high sandstone block located in the commune of Tousson, Seine-et-Marne. Dating from Neolithic, it was extracted and straightened before it was classified as historical monuments in 1913. This monument, slightly inclined, presents on its northeast face an engraving depicting the coat of arms of Chelles Abbey: a three-bar ladder surmounted by a hook and joined by a ring.

This engraving, made by picketing, was added in 1755 by order of the abbesse Anne de Clermont Gessan. As early as the Middle Ages, the stone served as a pillar, as evidenced by the 1554 text and the 1780 stewardship plans. Menhir has also been on the cadastral map since then, highlighting its local historic importance.

The site is associated with other nearby stones bearing the same heraldic motif, suggesting a desire for territorial marking by Chelles Abbey. Its early recovery and protection in the 20th century reflect the archaeological and heritage interest of this megalithic vestige, rare in Île-de-France.

Available sources, including studies such as Alain Bénard (2009) and bulletins from the Société préhistorique de France (1913), confirm its status as an emblematic monument to the megalithic sites of Seine-et-Marne. Its ranking in 1913 made it one of the first protected menhirs in the region.

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