Construction of menhir Néolithique (≈ 4100 av. J.-C.)
Estimated period of erection of the monument.
1889
Historical monument classification
Historical monument classification 1889 (≈ 1889)
First national protection list.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Menhir de la Pierre Plantée (cad. A 612) : classification by list of 1889
Key figures
Information non disponible - No historical character cited
The sources don't mention any actors.
Origin and history
The Menhir de la Pierre Plantée, also known as Les Fauchers de Chomelix, is a block of granite erected during Neolithic times. Located in the commune of Chomelix (Haute-Loire), it is presented as a rectangular prism of 1.60 m height for 0.70 m width. A notable feature is the presence of a 7 cm deep basin dug at its top, whose exact function remains unknown but could be linked to ritual or symbolic practices.
Ranked under the title of historical monuments in 1889 by the first national protection list, this menhir illustrates the importance attached very early to the preservation of megalithic remains in France. Its precise location, reported between Chomelix and Saint-Pierre-Duchamp-les-Fauchers, is documented in the Merimée and Monumentum bases, with a GPS location deemed "very satisfactory" (note 8/10).
Archaeological sources, such as the preliminary inventory of megalithic monuments in Auvergne (1977), point to its membership in a wider set of comparable sites in the region. Although little information details its specific history, its early ranking reflects its heritage value, typical of menhirs associated with neolithic funeral or ceremonial practices. However, there is no written record of local legends or post-construction uses.
